BuccaneersFan.com • Player Spotlight • Tampa Bay No. 11
Current official roster portrait: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Wide receiver • Third NFL season
From Fresno to the Buccaneers’ receiving corps
Jalen McMillan
- Born
- December 7, 2001 • Age 24
- Hometown
- Fresno, California
- Listed size
- 6 feet 1 inch • 192 pounds
- High school
- San Joaquin Memorial • Fresno, California
- College
- University of Washington • 2020–2023
- NFL Draft
- 2024 • Round 3 • Pick 92 • Tampa Bay
- Jersey
- No. 11
- Current status
- Reserve/Injured • As of November 3, 2026
Sources: official player profile, 2026 Buccaneers media guide, Washington biography and current team roster.
Sources: the draft and college journey, NFL career record and Washington records. NFL statistics are through November 1, 2026.
For Buccaneers fans, Jalen McMillan belongs to a familiar kind of football memory: a receiver coming open and the end zone turning into a celebration. His story stretches from Fresno to Washington and then Tampa Bay, where an impressive finish to his rookie season gave the Krewe a new name to cheer.
The Buccaneers selected him 92nd overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Tampa Bay valued his feel for routes and his ability to find room against coverage. Those skills gave the young receiver a foundation for an offense that already featured Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Buccaneers’ draft-night assessment.
Fresno → Seattle → Tampa Bay
A Husky becomes a Buccaneer
A Fresno beginning San Joaquin Memorial High School.
McMillan built an exceptional receiving record for the Panthers: 260 catches, 5,234 yards and 54 touchdowns in 50 high-school games. He earned four football letters and was selected for the 2020 All-American Bowl. Washington’s account of his early years.
Four seasons in Seattle A major contributor for the Huskies.
At Washington from 2020 through 2023, he developed into a productive part of the passing game. His largest receiving season came in 2022: 79 catches for 1,098 yards. He finished his college career with 164 receptions and 2,143 receiving yards. Washington’s draft-day career review.
A place in Tampa Bay Third round, April 26, 2024.
McMillan arrived from a Washington receiving group that also sent Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk into the opening two rounds of the same draft. Tampa Bay saw a receiver whose understanding of routes could help him compete against NFL coverage. His next challenge was earning a role alongside established Buccaneers veterans. The team’s selection announcement.
Milestones along the way
Recognition at Washington Progress across his college career.
He received Washington’s Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshman Award in 2021 and All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2022. His official Washington biography.
Delivering on a big stage The 2023 championship run.
McMillan caught nine passes for 131 yards in Washington’s Pac-12 title-game win over Oregon. He followed with five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in the Sugar Bowl victory over Texas, then led the Huskies with six receptions in the national championship game against Michigan. Washington’s postseason game notes.
A notable rookie finish Eight receiving touchdowns in 2024.
His eight touchdown catches ranked third among Buccaneers rookies, behind Mike Evans and Mike Williams. His five-game touchdown streak tied the NFL’s second-longest rookie streak at the end of the 2024 season, behind Randy Moss’s seven. The team’s historical comparison.
2024 rookie season • Weeks 14–18
Seven touchdown catches in the final five games
A rookie finish to remember
7
TOUCHDOWN CATCHES • FIVE CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A SCORE
December 2024 into the January 2025 regular-season finale.
The run began against Las Vegas on December 8, 2024. McMillan caught four passes for 59 yards and scored twice in Tampa Bay’s 28–13 victory. His first touchdown finished the opening drive; his second came on a 29-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter, with Luke Goedeke clearing the way with a block. The two-touchdown afternoon.
He kept finding the end zone. Over the final five games of the 2024 regular season, McMillan caught seven touchdown passes, the most in the NFL during that stretch. There was at least one in every game. The Buccaneers’ season-ending statistical review.
The finale supplied a memorable finish. Against New Orleans on January 5, 2025, he secured a 32-yard touchdown near the sideline, keeping his feet in bounds to give Tampa Bay its first lead with ten minutes remaining. The Buccaneers won 27–19 and secured their fourth consecutive NFC South title. The division-clinching game.
| Week | Date | Opponent | TB result | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Dec 8, 2024 | vs. LV | W 28–13 | 4 | 59 | 14.8 | 29 | 2 |
| 15 | Dec 15, 2024 | @ LAC | W 40–17 | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 26 | 1 |
| 16 | Dec 22, 2024 | @ DAL | L 24–26 | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 16 | 1 |
| 17 | Dec 29, 2024 | vs. CAR | W 48–14 | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 16 | 2 |
| 18 | Jan 5, 2025 | vs. NO | W 27–19 | 5 | 74 | 14.8 | 33 | 1 |
| Five-game subset | — | — | 4–1 | 24 | 316 | 13.2 | 33 | 7 |
24 catches, 316 yards and seven touchdowns across the five-game finish. This is a featured portion of his 2024 season, not additional career production. January 5 belongs to the 2024 regular season. Results are from Tampa Bay’s perspective; @ denotes a road game.
Source: 2025 Buccaneers media guide, original PDF p. 203 (printed p. 201); team scores appear on PDF p. 287. LV = Las Vegas; LAC = Los Angeles Chargers; DAL = Dallas; CAR = Carolina; NO = New Orleans.
The 2025 return • The current 2026 record
Recent seasons and the latest roster status
A neck injury in the 2025 preseason interrupted his second NFL season. McMillan returned against Atlanta in Week 15 and soon delivered another milestone: seven receptions for 114 yards at Miami on December 28, 2025. It was his first NFL game above 100 receiving yards and established career highs in both catches and yardage. The performance showed his ability to work against different coverages and create space with changes of pace. The team’s account of his Miami performance.
As of November 3, 2026, McMillan is on injured reserve. Tampa Bay placed him there on September 30 after he injured his knee early in the Week 3 game against Minnesota. He had missed the season opener and played limited snaps in Week 2. The official roster transaction.
The person behind No. 11
Fresno roots and connections beyond football
After the Raiders game, McMillan described watching the daily work of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and trying to bring the same approach to his own preparation. Tight end Cade Otton also noted his growing consistency and confidence. Those accounts connect the big Sunday plays with the quieter task of establishing weekly habits in the NFL. The players’ account of his rookie-season growth.
More than one playing field Football, baseball and track.
His athletic background included baseball and track and field alongside football at San Joaquin Memorial. Several colleges recruited him in both football and baseball, and he qualified for Junior Olympic track competition while in eighth grade. The Buccaneers’ personal biography, PDF p. 183.
Giving back in Fresno A hometown holiday effort.
The Buccaneers also document a holiday toy drive that McMillan hosted in Fresno to support local children. It is a connection to the community where he grew up and began building his football career. The team’s community record, PDF p. 183.
NFL regular season • Tampa Bay, 2024–2026
The Buccaneers career record
The NFL record covers 2024–2026, all with Tampa Bay. The asterisk marks the incomplete 2026 season, through November 1, Week 8. Preseason and postseason are excluded from these regular-season totals.
| Season | G | GS | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 12 | 37 | 461 | 12.5 | 33 | 8 | 23 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 178 | 14.8 | 33 | 0 | 8 |
| 2026* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| NFL career | 19 | 14 | 49 | 639 | 13.0 | 33 | 8 | 31 |
G = games played; GS = starts; REC = receptions; YDS = receiving yards; AVG = yards per catch; LNG = longest catch; TD = receiving touchdowns; 1st = receiving first downs. Career AVG is 13.0, calculated from 639 yards divided by 49 catches. A dash means no qualifying reception or an inapplicable value.
McMillan returned for the final four games of 2025; those appearances produced 12 catches and 178 yards. The 2026 line contains two actual appearances, both without a reception. Annual targets are not included because the inspected primary annual tables do not supply them.
Sources: 2026 Buccaneers media guide, PDF p. 184 (printed p. 182), the official career receiving table and the original 2026 gamebooks linked below. The summary page’s conflicting 9.1 career average is not used.
NFL rushing and other production
| Season | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026* | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| NFL career | 5 | 44 | 8.8 | 17 | 0 | 3 |
ATT = rushing attempts; YDS = rushing yards; AVG = yards per carry; LNG = longest run; TD = rushing touchdowns; 1st = rushing first downs. Rushing remains separate from receiving.
Punt returns: in 2024 he returned three punts for 12 yards, a 4.0 average, with an 11-yard long, no touchdown and two fair catches. Those are also his career punt-return totals through the cutoff. No regular-season kickoff return is credited.
Sources: the official rushing and punt-return tables, 2026 guide career record and 2025 guide final 2024 team statistics, PDF p. 287.
September 13–November 1, 2026
Appearances and availability through Week 8
| Week | Date | Opponent | TB result | Availability | OFF | TAR | REC | YDS | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 13 | @ CIN | L 27–33 | Inactive — knee | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | Sep 20 | vs. CLE | L 19–23 | Played — reserve | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Sep 27 | vs. MIN | L 16–23 | Played — left with knee injury | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Oct 4 | vs. GB | L 14–17 | Injured reserve | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | Oct 8 | @ DAL | W 24–16 | Injured reserve | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | Oct 18 | vs. PIT | L 19–26 OT | Injured reserve | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Oct 25 | @ CAR | W 43–13 | Injured reserve | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | Nov 1 | vs. ATL | W 16–0 | Injured reserve | — | — | — | — | — |
| Played totals | — | — | — | 2 games · 0 starts | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two appearances, nine offensive snaps, one target and no receptions. Highlighted rows are games he played. Dashes in the other six rows mean he did not appear; they are not zero-catch appearances. OFF = offensive snaps; TAR = passes targeting McMillan. Snap counts are labeled unofficial in the NFL participation summaries.
He was inactive in Week 1, appeared in Weeks 2–3 and was placed on injured reserve on September 30. The current roster still lists him on Reserve/Injured as of November 3. Official IR transaction.
Original gamebooks: Week 1 · Week 2 · Week 3 · Week 4 · Week 5 · Week 6 · Week 7 · Week 8. CIN = Cincinnati; CLE = Cleveland; MIN = Minnesota; GB = Green Bay; DAL = Dallas; PIT = Pittsburgh; CAR = Carolina; ATL = Atlanta. OT = overtime; @ = away.
NFL postseason • January 12, 2025
The NFL playoff appearance
| Season | Date | Round | Opponent | TB result | G | GS | TAR | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jan 12, 2025 | Wild Card | vs. WAS | L 20–23 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
| Postseason career | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
McMillan started his one actual NFL postseason appearance: the 2024 Wild Card game against Washington, played January 12, 2025. He caught two of four targets for 41 yards and two first downs, with no touchdown, rush or return. He played 44 offensive snaps, labeled unofficial in the participation report.
This game is separate from all NFL regular-season totals. WAS = Washington Commanders. Sources: original gamebook, PDF pp. 1, 3 and 17 and 2026 guide postseason record.
University of Washington • 2020–2023
Four seasons with the Huskies
The Washington record covers four playing seasons, 2020–2023, and includes the conference championship, bowls and College Football Playoff games. His three 2020 appearances were actual playing games. College postseason production remains inside the annual and career totals.
| Season | G | GS | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 9 | 39 | 470 | 12.1 | 39 | 3 |
| 2022 | 13 | 7 | 79 | 1,098 | 13.9 | 84 | 9 |
| 2023 | 11 | 7 | 45 | 559 | 12.4 | 45 | 5 |
| Washington career | 38 | 24 | 164 | 2,143 | 13.1 | 84 | 17 |
The final university records total 38 games, 24 starts, 164 receptions, 2,143 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns. G includes appearances without a catch: Washington’s final cumulative records show 11 games in both 2021 and 2023. GS follows the university’s annual biography and starting-lineup records.
Original annual statistics, each PDF p. 2: 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023. The full 2023 participation log, PDF p. 120 distinguishes actual appearances from DNP entries; the Washington biography provides annual starts. Targets are omitted because these records do not publish them.
College rushing, returns and other roles
| Season | Rush ATT | Rush YDS | Rush AVG | Rush LNG | Rush TD | PR | PR YDS | PR AVG | PR LNG | PR TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 70 | 17.5 | 31 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 2.6 | 6 | 0 |
| Washington career | 6 | 46 | 7.7 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 83 | 9.2 | 31 | 0 |
Rush = rushing; PR = punt returns. AVG uses yards divided by attempts or returns; LNG is the longest play. A fair catch is not a punt return. He had no credited kickoff returns in college.
Passing: 2021 — 0 completions on one attempt; 2023 — one completion on two attempts for nine yards. Career: 1-for-3, nine yards, no touchdowns or interceptions. He did not attempt a pass in 2020 or 2022. Passing yards are separate from his 2,272 all-purpose yards: 2,143 receiving + 46 rushing + 83 on punt returns.
Source: the four original annual statistics PDFs linked above. Their final nine-yard passing total controls over a conflicting 13-yard reference in the narrative biography.
Conference championship, bowls and the College Football Playoff
| Season | Date | Game | Opponent | UW result | GS | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dec 29, 2022 | Alamo Bowl | Texas | W 27–20 | 0 | 8 | 58 | 7.3 | 14 | 1 |
| 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | Pac-12 Championship | Oregon | W 34–31 | 1 | 9 | 131 | 14.6 | 45 | 0 |
| 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 | Sugar Bowl · CFP semifinal | Texas | W 37–31 | 1 | 5 | 58 | 11.6 | 19 | 1 |
| 2023 | Jan 8, 2024 | CFP National Championship | Michigan | L 13–34 | 0 | 6 | 33 | 5.5 | 12 | 1 |
| Four-game subset | — | — | — | 3–1 | 2 | 28 | 280 | 10.0 | 45 | 3 |
All four games are already included in the college totals. Together they produced 28 catches, 280 yards and three receiving touchdowns. The January 2024 games belong to the 2023 season. His nine-yard rush against Michigan and incomplete pass against Texas in the Sugar Bowl are included in the other college totals above.
GS reflects each official starting formation: McMillan played in all four games and started the Pac-12 Championship and Sugar Bowl. He was listed among reserves in the Alamo Bowl and national final. Results are from Washington’s perspective. Receiving averages are calculated to one decimal with halves rounded up; 58 ÷ 8 in the Alamo Bowl is shown as 7.3.
Official box scores, individual statistics and participation: Alamo Bowl (Dec 29, 2022) · Pac-12 Championship (Dec 1, 2023) · Sugar Bowl · CFP semifinal (Jan 1, 2024) · CFP National Championship (Jan 8, 2024).
Sources & statistical notes
The records behind the spotlight
- Identity and background: the current Buccaneers player profile, the 2026 media guide, PDF pp. 182–184, and Washington’s final college biography.
- College-to-NFL journey: Washington’s 2024 draft report and Tampa Bay’s April 26, 2024 selection announcement.
- Rookie-season feature: the December 2024 Raiders feature and the January 2025 Saints statistical review.
- Recent seasons: the December 2025 Miami feature and the September 30, 2026 injured-reserve announcement.
- Community and personal background: the Buccaneers’ 2026 biography, PDF p. 183. The toy drive is described without assigning an event date.
- NFL statistics: official Buccaneers annual records and media guides, all eight completed 2026 team gamebooks and the one actual NFL playoff gamebook. Current participation and season boundaries are documented beside the tables.
- College statistics: Washington’s four final annual statistics PDFs and four official championship/bowl box scores. Actual participation, starts, passing yardage and rounding notes appear beside the relevant tables.
- Portrait: the current official Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster image.
Updated November 3, 2026. NFL regular-season statistics stop after November 1, Week 8; preseason is excluded. NFL postseason statistics are separate from regular-season totals. The featured rookie stretch and college championship/bowl appearances are subsets already included in their respective annual totals. Averages use combined yards and opportunities; longest plays are maxima, not sums.