Raekwon McMillan

Last updated

Raekwon McMillan
Raekwon McMillan.png
McMillan in 2015
No. 42 – Tennessee Titans
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1995-11-17) November 17, 1995 (age 29)
Midway, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school: Liberty County (Hinesville, Georgia)
College: Ohio State (2014–2016)
NFL draft: 2017  / round: 2 / pick: 54
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles:285
Sacks:1.0
Forced fumbles:3
Fumble recoveries:2
Pass deflections:4
Defensive touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Raekwon McMillan (born November 17, 1995) is an American professional football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, and later played for the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots. He played college football at Ohio State.

Contents

Early life

McMillan was born in Midway, Georgia. He was named after rapper Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan. [1] [2] He attended Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia. He won the High School Butkus Award in 2013. [3] McMillan was a five-star recruit by Rivals.com and was the top-ranked inside linebacker in his class. [4]

College career

McMillan played college football at Ohio State. As a freshman in 2014, he appeared in 13 games making 54 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception returned for 24 yards, and a pass defended. As a sophomore in 2015, he played 13 games with 119 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four passes defended, and a fumble recovery. As a junior in 2016, he played 13 games with 102 tackles, two sacks, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles. After his junior year, McMillan declared his intentions to enter the 2017 NFL draft. [5]

Professional career

Pre-draft

McMillan received an invitation to the NFL Combine and completed all of the combine and positional drills. He also participated at Ohio State's highly anticipated pro day, but opted to only run positional drills. [6] Seven general managers and nine head coaches attended Ohio State's pro day to scout McMillan and ten other prospects. [7] McMillan had private workouts and visits with 11 teams that included the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, and New Orleans Saints. [8] [9] [10] [11] The majority of NFL draft experts and analysts projected McMillan to be selected in the second or third round. [12] He was ranked the second best inside linebacker in the draft by NFL analyst Bucky Brooks, the third best inside linebacker by NFLDraftScout.com, the fifth best linebacker by Sports Illustrated , and was ranked the tenth best linebacker in the draft by ESPN. [13] [14] [15]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Raekwon McMillan’s NFL Combine Workout
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Raekwon McMillan runs a 4.61 40-yard dash
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+7⁄8 in
(1.88 m)		240 lb
(109 kg)		33 in
(0.84 m)		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)		4.61 s1.61 s2.69 s4.39 s7.15 s33 in
(0.84 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		23 reps
All values from NFL Combine [12] [6] [16]

Miami Dolphins

2017

The Dolphins selected McMillan in the second round (54th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. [17] He was the seventh linebacker selected in 2017. [18] On May 5, 2017, the Dolphins signed McMillan to a four-year, $4.69 million contract with $3.16 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $1.55 million. [19]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Dolphins draft Raekwon McMillan 54th overall

McMillan entered training camp slated as the starting strongside linebacker after Koa Misi retired due to a neck injury. He impressed coaching staff and learned all three linebacker positions. McMillan remained the apparent front-runner throughout camp, but saw minor competition from Mike Hull and Neville Hewitt. [20] [21]

On August 10, 2017, McMillan made his professional debut in the Miami Dolphins’ first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, but left the game after suffering an apparent knee injury. The following day, it was confirmed that he had a torn an ACL and had abruptly ended his rookie season. [22] On September 2, 2017, the Miami Dolphins officially placed McMillan on injured reserve. [23]

2018

McMillan entered training camp slated as the de facto starting middle linebacker. Head coach Adam Gase named McMillan the starting middle linebacker to begin the regular season, along with outside linebackers Kiko Alonso and rookie Jerome Baker. [24] He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the Dolphins’ season-opener against the Tennessee Titans and recorded six combined tackles during their 27–20 victory. [25] On December 23, 2018, McMillan collected a season-high ten combined tackles (six solo) during the Dolphins’ 17–7 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. [26] He started in all 16 games in 2018 and recorded 105 combined tackles (69 solo), two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. [27]

2019

McMillan entered the 2019 season as the Dolphins starting middle linebacker. He played in 13 games before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 15. He was placed on injured reserve on December 17, 2019. [28]

Las Vegas Raiders

On August 29, 2020, McMillan was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, along with a 2021 fifth-round draft pick, for a 2021 fourth-round draft pick, which they eventually re-acquired in a trade for Lynn Bowden [29] He played 16 games during the 2020 season, primarily on special teams, making 27 total tackles. [30]

New England Patriots

On March 19, 2021, McMillan signed with the Patriots. [31] He suffered a torn ACL in practice and was placed on injured reserve on August 7, 2021, missing the 2021 season. [32] [33]

He signed a one-year contract extension through 2022 on September 27, 2021. [34] McMillan entered the 2022 season as a starting linebacker alongside Ja'Whaun Bentley, but was relegated to special teams and a backup player as the season progressed. He finished the season with 35 tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery touchdown. [35]

On March 10, 2023, McMillan signed a contract extension with the Patriots. [36] On May 25, it was announced that McMillan had suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon at organized team activities and would be placed on season-ending injured reserve, missing the entirety of his 2023 season once again. [37]

Despite the injury, McMillan signed a one–year, $2.25 million contract extension with the Patriots on August 14, 2023. [38] He played nine games for the Patriots during the 2024 season, making 45 total tackles. [39] He was waived on November 8, 2024. [40]

Tennessee Titans

On December 24, 2024, McMillan was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad, and promoted to the active roster four days later. [41] [42] He contributed to the final two games of the Titans' 2024 season, recording one tackle. [39]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Thomas</span> American football player (born 1973)

Zachary Michael Thomas, nicknamed "Baby Elephant", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected in the fifth round, 22nd pick, in the 1996 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, and played for the Dolphins in his first 12 seasons in the NFL, before playing his 13th and final season with the Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Vrabel</span> American football player and coach (born 1975)

Michael George Vrabel is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he was a consensus All-American. Vrabel then played in the NFL for 14 seasons, primarily as a member of the Patriots, where he became a three-time Super Bowl champion and a First-team All-Pro during his eight-year tenure. Noted for his versatility, Vrabel scored a receiving touchdown in consecutive Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX, becoming the only primarily defensive player to score in two Super Bowls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Timmons</span> American football player (born 1986)

Lawrence Olajuwon Timmons is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers the following year, and played in Super Bowl XLV two years later. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Wake</span> American gridiron football player (born 1982)

Derek Cameron Wake is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Penn State Nittany Lions, and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dannell Ellerbe</span> American football player (born 1985)

Dannell Antonio Ellerbe is an American former professional football linebacker. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and also played for the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Georgia.

Tyrone McKenzie is an American football coach and former linebacker. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. He debuted for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010 and also played for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at South Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Brown</span> American football player (born 1989)

Zachary Vinzale Brown is an American former professional football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. He has also played for the Buffalo Bills, where he made the Pro Bowl, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Simon (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1990)

John Simon is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football at Ohio State, and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He also played for the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Van Noy</span> American football player (born 1991)

Kyle Van Noy is an American professional football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Van Noy played college football at BYU. He was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, with whom he spent his first three seasons. Van Noy played his next four seasons for the New England Patriots, where he won Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII. Following a year as a member of the Miami Dolphins, he rejoined New England in 2021. Van Noy signed with the Los Angeles Chargers the following season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benardrick McKinney</span> American football player (born 1992)

Benardrick Cornelius McKinney is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft.

Michael Thomas Hull is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Penn State. He previously played for the Miami Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elandon Roberts</span> American football player (born 1994)

Elandon Roberts is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Houston. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He plays primarily as a linebacker on defense, but when injuries during the 2019 season left the Patriots without a fullback on the roster, Roberts began to play that position as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Riley (American football)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Duke Riley is an American professional football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Milano</span> American football player (born 1994)

Matthew Vincent Milano is an American professional football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvin Munson</span> American football player (born 1994)

Calvin Christopher Munson is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chase Winovich</span> American football player (born 1995)

Chase Camden Winovich is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection, and received All-American honors in 2018. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. Winovich spent his first three seasons with the Patriots, also playing for the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins.

Jerome Baker is an American professional football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaiah Prince</span> American football player (born 1997)

Isaiah Prince is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Long Jr. (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1996)

David Lamont Long Jr. is an American professional football linebacker. He played college football at West Virginia.

Cassh Maluia is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wyoming, and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

References

  1. ↑ Muma, Steven (December 16, 2013). "5-star Raekwon McMillan announces commitment to Ohio State". SB Nation . Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ Staples, Andy (January 27, 2014). "All-Name Team: Best monikers in the 2014 recruiting class". SI.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ Raekwon McMillan Wins High School Butkus Award Archived December 13, 2013, at archive.today
  4. ↑ Rivals.com
  5. ↑ "USA Today".
  6. 1 2 "2017 Draft Scout Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  7. ↑ Ben Axelrod (March 23, 2017). "Ohio State 2017 Pro Day: Results, updates and live blog for the Buckeyes' top prospects". landof10.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  8. ↑ D.J. Byrnes (March 16, 2017). "Skull Session: Gareon Conley's Rise, Patriots to Work Out Raekwon McMillan, and Dontre Wilson Cool with Taking His NFL Spot". elevenwarriors.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  9. ↑ K.D. Drummond (April 10, 2017). "2017 Draft: 7 Prospects the Saints are showing heavy interest in". saintswire.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  10. ↑ Kyle Phelps (March 18, 2017). "Bengals met privately with Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan". cincyjungle.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  11. ↑ Luke Easterling (March 13, 2017). "Patriots, Steelers among 11 teams set to meet with Raekwon McMillan". draftwire.usatoday.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Raekwon McMillan Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  13. ↑ Chris Burke (April 24, 2017). "2017 NFL Draft Rankings: Top Prospects by Position". si.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  14. ↑ Jeff Legwold (April 22, 2017). "Ranking the 2017 Draft's Top 100 Prospects". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  15. ↑ Bucky Brooks (April 25, 2017). "Bucky Brooks' top 5 2017 NFL Draft prospects by position 3.0". NFL.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Raekwon McMillan 2017 NFL Draft Profile". insider.espn.com. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ "McMillan drafted by Dolphins in second round". Coastal Courier. April 28, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  18. ↑ "2017 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Spotrac.com: Raekwon McMillan contract". Spotrac.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Starting lineup, 53-man roster projections for all 32 NFL teams". ESPN.com. July 26, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Koa Misi Out; Raekwon McMillan The X-Factor". dolphinssidelinereport.com. July 26, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  22. ↑ Baumgard, Josh (August 11, 2017). "Raekwon McMillan suffers torn ACL, out for 2017 season". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Dolphins Make Roster Moves". MiamiDolphins.com. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018.
  24. ↑ Schad, Joe (September 4, 2018). "Miami Dolphins reveal regular-season depth chart and we learned this". PalmBeachPost.com. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins - September 9th, 2018". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins - December 23rd, 2018". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Raekwon McMillan 2018 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Dolphins Sign Calvin Munson, Raekwon McMillan Placed On IR". MiamiDolphins.com. December 17, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ Bonsignore, Vincent (August 29, 2020). "Raiders trade for Dolphins linebacker Raekwon McMillan". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Raekwon McMillan 2020 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Patriots Sign DL Montravius Adams and LB Raekwon McMillan". Patriots.com. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  32. ↑ Reiss, Mike (August 7, 2021). "New England Patriots place linebacker Raekwon McMillan on injured reserve with torn ACL". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Patriots Re-Sign LB Cassh Maluia; Place TE Dalton Keene and LB Raekwon McMillan on Injured Reserve". Patriots.com. August 7, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  34. ↑ Thomas, Oliver (September 28, 2021). "Patriots reportedly sign injured linebacker Raekwon McMillan to one-year extension". PatsPulpit.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Raekwon McMillan 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  36. ↑ Buchmasser, Bernd (March 10, 2023). "Report: Patriots re-sign linebacker Raekwon McMillan ahead of free agency". Pats Pulpit. SB Nation. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  37. ↑ Benjamin, Cody (May 25, 2023). "Patriots' Raekwon McMillan suffers Achilles injury at OTAs, set to miss entire 2023 season, per report". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  38. ↑ McElroy, Jordy (August 14, 2023). "Report: Injured Patriots LB Raekwon McMillan gets one-year extension". Patriots Wire. USA Today. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  39. 1 2 "Raekwon McMillan 2024 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Patriots Claim DE Yannick Ngakoue Off Waivers From the Baltimore Ravens". Patriots.com. November 8, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  41. ↑ Brener, Jeremy (December 24, 2024). "Titans Sign Former Pats LB". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  42. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (December 28, 2024). "Titans Make a Flurry of Roster Moves Ahead of Sunday's Game vs Jaguars". TennesseeTitans.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.