McMillan earned immediate playing time his true freshman year at Arizona in2022.[14][15] In his collegiate debut, he had three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown in the 38–20 victory overSan Diego State.[16] On October 15 againstWashington, he had seven catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns in the 49–39 loss.[17] McMillan finished the season leading all true freshmen nationally with 702 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 39 receptions.[18]
In2023, McMillan had a breakout season with 90 receptions for 1,402 yards (fifth-most in the nation) and ten touchdowns over 13 games.[19] He caught two touchdowns in a 31–24 loss to No. 7Washington and followed with a 141-yard performance against No. 9USC.[20][21] In a 42–18 win over No. 22Utah, McMillan had 116 receiving yards, a touchdown, and threw his first career touchdown pass.[22] AgainstArizona State, he caught 11 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns, setting a newTerritorial Cup receiving yards record as the Wildcats won 59–23.[23] He was named a third-team APAll-American at the end of the regular season.[24] In the2023 Alamo Bowl against No. 12Oklahoma, McMillan had ten receptions for 160 yards for Arizona as they won 38–24, finishing the season on a seven-game winning streak.[25]
After head coachJedd Fisch left Arizona to take theWashington head coaching job, McMillan elected to remain at Arizona for the2024 season.[26] Prior to the season, McMillan was named a preseason first-team AP All-American and was a projected first-round pick in the2025 NFL draft.[27][28] In the Wildcats' opening game of the 2024 season againstNew Mexico, McMillan caught ten passes for a school-record 304 yards and tied the school record with four touchdown catches in a 61–39 victory.[29] Two weeks later, he posted a career-high 11 receptions for 138 yards in a loss to No. 14Kansas State. In a loss toWest Virginia, he finished with ten receptions for 202 yards and a touchdown.[30] He finished the season third in the nation with 1,319 yards on 84 receptions and was named a2024 Consensus All-American. He was also a finalist for theFred Biletnikoff Award, losing toTravis Hunter.[31][32]
Following his junior season, McMillan declared for the 2025 NFL draft, finishing his college career with 213 receptions, 3,423 receiving yards, and 26 touchdowns in three seasons. His 3,423 yards are the most inWildcats program history, and his receptions and touchdowns rank in the top five in school history.[33][34]
McMillan was selected in the first round with the eighth overall pick by theCarolina Panthers in the2025 NFL draft.[37] He became the highest-selected offensive player inArizona Wildcats history and tied for the second-highest pick overall in the program’s history, behindRicky Hunley.[38] On May 9, McMillan signed his four-year, $27.93 million rookie contract with the Panthers.[39]
In his rookie season, McMillan led the Panthers with 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, which led all rookie wide receivers. As a result, he won Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
In February 2026, McMillan faced controversy after appearing onStreamer Bowl VII, a charityesports tournament. McMillan was competing against otherstreamers in aMadden NFL game when he was recorded using aracial epithet twice. He later apologized for the incident onInstagram, posting a statement saying "Yesterday, while on live stream, I used a term I should not have. There's no excuse for what I said–I sincerely apologize for speaking thoughtlessly and will do better.''[40][41]
