Former Washington wide receivers are making impressions across the NFL ahead of their professional debuts. Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk have seen some glowing reviews following minicamps with the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots respectively, as has Jalen McMillan with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to multiple reports, McMillan has continued to display what Husky fans saw throughout his career in Seattle, reliable hands and fluidity as a route runner.
The third-round pick’s skillset has made an impression on head coach Todd Bowles, who seems excited to get him involved in Tampa Bay’s offense alongside stars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
#Bucs rookie WR Jalen McMillan speaking to the media ahead of rookie minicamp practice pic.twitter.com/Vcz4X6KBPM
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) May 10, 2024
“He’s had a nice couple of weeks,” Bowles told members of the media. “He can catch the ball – we know that. He’s a good route runner, he’s a competitor, he’s very intelligent – that impressed me the most. I can’t wait to see him in pads.”
McMillan has mainly been working with the first-team offense, catching passes from quarterback Baker Mayfield and Bowles has plenty of ideas on how to deploy the rookie receiver after he displayed tons of versatility while working with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb on Montlake.
“Anytime you can get another ball catcher, route runner, and intelligent receiver,” Bowles said. “He fits in well, no matter where we put him at. He had a lot of versatility in college. He played in the slot, he played ‘Z,’ he played ‘X.’ He’s a very intelligent player. That gives us some advantages.”