SAN FRANCISCO — Every year, the best of the best in the league descend on NFL Honors. The top at their position, their side of the ball, and in the game as a whole walk the red carpet, take the stage, and are recognized for their impact on the game that season.
Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan will be amongst that group tonight, as one of the five finalists for the Associated Press offensive rookie of the year. He is facing off against Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson, and Saints quarterback Tyler Shough.
Each guy earned his spot as a finalist, but voters—50 nationwide media members who cover the league—are tasked with finding the edge each has over the other. The votes are tabulated by each voter listing their top five for each award. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth 5 points, and third, fourth, and fifth place are worth 3, 2, and 1 points, respectively. The weighted point system awards those with the most points.
McMillan has already been named the offensive rookie of the year and overall rookie of the year by the PFWA (pro football writers of America). In 13 of the last 15 years, the rookie that won the PFWA offensive rookie of the year, subsequently won the AP rookie of the year at NFL Honors.
Before tonight's awards show, let's take a look at the five finalists and how they stack up against each other and the league.
*All stats are for the regular season only. They were gathered from Next Gen Stats, Pro Football Focus, and Pro Football Reference. Each table looks at relevant stats such as total yardage, first downs and touchdowns gained, the percentage of offensive snaps each guy played for his respective team, and the share of offensive production he was responsible for adding.

Tetairoa McMillan: Panthers, WR
The Panthers No. 8 overall pick helped reshape Carolina's offense this season, giving Bryce Young a big, reliable, talented target. From one-handed catches to wide-open game-changing plays, McMillan became a highlight reel waiting to happen.
| Rec./Tar. | Receiving yds. | Scrimmage yds. | TDs | First downs | % of snaps played | % of off. production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70-122 | 1,014 | 1,014 | 7 | 55 | 87.18% | 20.18% |
Final PFF Grade: 78.7
Games started/played: 17/17
What they're saying: Kyle Shanahan on McMillan ahead of Week 12: "I think he's a stud. He's going to be one of the best receivers in this league sooner than later. He's got all the skill sets to do it, and I think he's just getting started."

Emeka Egbuka: Buccaneers, WR
When the Bucs veteran receiver group suffered injuries early in the season, Tampa Bay's 19th overall pick stepped up, becoming one of Baker Mayfield's favorite targets and making the big plays the Bucs needed.
| Rec./Tar. | Yds. | Scrimmage yds. | TDs | First down | % of snaps played | % of off. production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63-127 | 938 | 947 | 6 | 34 | 78.3% | 17.39% |
Final PFF Grade: 67.3
Games started/played: 13/17
What they're saying: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez on Egbuka after Week 10: "He's a good receiver — he got drafted high for a reason. They do a real good job, as I said earlier in the week, him and Mayfield">link-placeholder-0 have gotten into a rhythm very early in the season, and they continued it. It's a fun challenge out there—it was fun."

Tyler Shough: Saints, QB
Midway through the season, the Saints made a quarterback change, benching second-year passer Spencer Rattler for the rookie Shough. He's a mature rookie, after six years in college, at 26 years old. That experience showed up, as he went 5-4 in his starts. His nine starts would be the fewest ever by a quarterback to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
| Comp./Att. | Pass. yds. | Scrimmage yds. | TDs | First downs | % of snaps played | % of off. production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 221-327 | 2,384 | 2,570 | 13 | 118 | 60.5% | 48.21% |
Final PFF Grade: 74.6
Games started/played: 9/11
What they're saying: NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay on why Shough would be the No. 1 overall pick in a re-draft: "Tracking to potentially be offensive rookie of the year. Measurables, mobility, 6-4 220, mobility, arm strength, off schedule, on schedule…If you're just dropped on this planet starting in September and you watch the whole season, to this point, who's been the best quarterback? Tyler Shough."

TreVeyon Henderson: Patriots, RB
This rookie became quarterback Drake Maye's best friend, especially while Rhamondre Stevenson was sidelined with injury for a handful of games this season. Henderson helped the Patriots establish a rushing attack that changed their offense this season, and now they're playing for a Super Bowl.
| Total touches | Rushing yds. | Scrimmage yds. | TDs | First downs | % of snaps played | % of off. production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 215 | 911 | 1,132 | 10 | 52 | 45.80% | 17.66% |
Final PFF Grade: 68.9
Games started/played: 4/17
What they're saying: Tristan H. Cockcroft of ESPN: "There's a reason he earned the "Baby Saquon" sobriquet during his days at Ohio State, as Henderson's breakaway speed was apparent over the second half of the season…He's sure to play a more sizable role for an up-and-coming Patriots team in 2026."

Jaxson Dart: Giants, QB
Despite losing wide receiver Malik Nabers in Week 1 and running back Cam Skattebo in Week 8, Dart was able to keep the Giants offense exciting, throwing for the second-most passing yards by a rookie in franchise history, and setting a new franchise record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
| Comp./Att. | Pass. yds. | Scrimmage yds. | TDs | First downs | % of snaps played | % of off. production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 216-339 | 2,272 | 2,759 | 24 | 140 | 67.3% | 48.67% |
Final PFF Grade: 68.4
Games started/played: 12/14
What they're saying: ESPN NFL analyst Matt Miller on Dart in November: "He's playing exceptionally well. And to be thrown in, the expectation was that Russell Wilson would be the starter. You think that he's going to come in and be a guy that sits for a year and kind of learns, and that was not the case with him. He was thrown out there after a couple weeks. He's played exceptionally well."
Check out some of our favorite photos of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan throughout the 2025 season.

Tetairoa McMillan speaks during introductory Carolina Panthers press conference at Bank of America Stadium following his selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.


The Carolina Panthers face off against the Houston Texans in a joint practice at NRG Park on August 14th, 2025.

The Carolina Panthers take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sep. 21, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Krista Jasso/Carolina Panthers)

The Carolina Panthers take on the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 5, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Alex Herko//Carolina Panthers)

The Carolina Panthers face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers take on the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 12, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Laura Wolff/Carolina Panthers)

The Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Lester Barnes/Carolina Panthers)



The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Carolina Panthers showcase shoes for the My Cause My Cleats initiative on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL

The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL

The Carolina Panthers practice for the Playoffs on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers hold camp on Tuesday, Jul. 29, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina Panthers hold camp Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.













