Jalen McMillan WR Washington 68th overall
We aren't sitting back in this Chicago Bears mock draft. Keenan Allen was a stud in college—his sophomore year. Some injuries and lack of production popped up in his junior year, and he became a third-round pick. McMillan broke out in 2022 and was less than 100 yards shy of Odunze. Many seemed to have forgotten how good of a route runner he is. Before I get more into McMillan, let's share the trade details.
Bears Received: R3:68 and R6:180
Patriots Received: R3:75 (Blake Fisher OT) and R4:122 (Christian Jones OT)
McMillan played hurt all season but still produced five touchdowns and 550 yards. He blocks like Equanimeous St. Brown but plays like Victor Cruz. If you don't know who Victor Cruz is, go to YouTube and search for him. Those who know Cruz should watch McMillan. You will see a very slippery route runner with enough athletic ability to get away from defenders. Is McMillan a slot-only player? No. But he does thrive from the slot. He can be insurance for Allen and work as an outside guy when needed.
McMillan is being slept on hard; if he is available, I can easily see Ryan Poles moving up for him in the third round. Day one and two prospects need to be players who will see the field at a high rate. The Velus Jones Jr. experiment is basically over. Pure athletic ability doesn't always translate to the NFL level. McMillan makes up for that mistake while playing a different role from Tyler Scott.