Jalen McMillan Lauded For “Unbelievable” Toughness
May 26th, 2026
When receiver Jalen McMillan was drafted in 2024, Bucs officials made it clear they thought they got a second-round talent in a third-round pick.
McMillan delivered eight touchdowns as a rookie, and he delivered a stunning comeback from a preseason broken neck late last season.
Now Mike Evans is laughing with Brock Purdy 3,000 miles away, so McMillan is being counted on for a big year.
Joe is very confident in 24-year-old McMillan. So is Todd Bowles, per his chatter to local media today after a spring practice.
“Jalen’s tough. His mental toughness is unbelievable,” Bowles said. “His competes and his competitiveness, the way he attacks the ball, the way he fights for every route and tries to get open and wants to be ‘that’ guy,” you know, that gives you a lot of confidence that he’ll be doing that in the games.”
McMillan is a shade slow and a shade small to be a No. 1/X receiver, but Joe wouldn’t be shocked to see him in that role at times. He can jump and fight for the ball extremely well. Along with receiver Emeka Egbuka, versatility is a strength for McMillan.
May 26th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
McMillan is a shade slow and a shade small to be a No. 1/X receiver, but Joe wouldn’t be shocked to see him in that role at times.
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I will say at the end of last year, I thought he looked fantastic, to my eye he was the best WR on the team. Maybe it was just the competition the Bucs were playing, but he looked faster and a lot quicker than he did his rookie year. Maybe it was a mirage, he was fresh and going against guys who were tired out from the long year, but it would not shock me in the last if he ends next year as the Bucs WR – and that’s not because other guys underperformed.
Again, maybe I’m off base on that, maybe he can’t keep up the pace over a full year – but really, go back and just watch him once he got back, he was so crisp and quick, he really impressed the heck out of me.
May 26th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
So let’s not bring in washed up QBs who are sitting home only to overthrow almost every receiver, including ending Jalen’s season before it began. (thanks Teddy).
Still amazes me that Bridgewater threw two touchdown passes, one was not even a good throw, and that was it. He was plugged in as the back up and was so bad they could not take Baker out when he was clearly playing injured.
Another bad coaching decision
May 26th, 2026 at 3:49 pm
JMac is going to have a good year.