Apex predator: Why Tetairoa McMillan’s volleyball past makes him a fit for the Dallas Cowboys

Humans, inherently, have limitations. They’re capped by their abilities; grounded by their ceilings.

And yet, many humans are bound to pursue the extent of those limitations.

“We call that in volleyball the apex,” said Paka Dutro, a well-known high school and collegiate volleyball coach in southern California.

It’s there, at the apex, where Dutro’s nephew, Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, has become a predator.

McMillan is expected to be a first round pick in next month’s NFL Draft. He could wind up a top-10 pick, based on some projections. Or, he could be available when the Dallas Cowboys select at No. 12 overall.

There are some who wonder about McMillan’s top speed. He elected not to run at the NFL Combine, though he did record an unofficial 4.55 40-yard dash at a private workout.

McMillan’s speed has never been his strongest asset, however. Scouts and analysts have pointed to his productive career at Arizona, where he recorded a combined 174 catches for 2,721 yards and 18 touchdowns the last two seasons. They also point to his 6-foot-4 stature and an athletic smoothness that’s rare for someone his size.

All things that should appeal to a Cowboys team that needs more production next to star receiver CeeDee Lamb.

“I mentioned this about [Alabama guard} Tyler Booker and I think the same thing applies to Tetairoa McMillan … the Cowboys are not a team that drafts off athletic profile,” said ALLCITY draft expert Fran Duffy. “That is not a team that says ‘We want the best athletes, and if a guy doesn’t test well, then we’re going to drop him.’ Contextually, compared to the rest of the teams in the league, they have not been afraid to take those risks.”

Especially when they have something unique about them, like McMillan does. According to Pro Football Focus, McMillan has had the most contested catches (35) amongst college players the last two seasons combined.

That unique ability stems from McMillan’s natural ability, surely, but it was refined on the court in southern California. Football players often grew up playing basketball. McMillan did that, too. But volleyball? That combination is immensely less common.

“You definitely see some crossover,” said Matt Marrujo, the athletic director and volleyball coach at Servite High School said.

Before we continue, Marrujo wants to make sure something is known. Multiple times in his interview with DLLS did he humbly deflect any credit for the player McMillan has become. He said McMillan is “ultra competitive and ultra driven.” Combine that with his raw athleticism, and Marrujo isn’t surprised that the same player who told him when he was a freshman that he wanted to play in the NFL is now on the brink of it.

Still, when it comes to McMillan’s body control and contested-catch ability, there are some recognizable volleyball elements.

In volleyball, everything for attackers begins with a four-step approach. Footwork is key, and timing is everything, so they’ll practice the approach daily. They start by walking it out — one foot in front of the other — until the fourth step leads into a two-footed jump. It’s about building momentum and leaping toward the apex.

“I tell our freshmen … look, anywhere you’re going, go take your four-step approach and try to touch a sign in the parking lot, or there are different parts of your house where you can do your four-step approach and like and grab something. We want to get to the point where you aren’t thinking about it and you’re just naturally taking that four-step approach and doing it.

“That’s where repetition is important … to get to be muscle memory.”

McMillan achieved that, and it’s still reflected as a wide receiver today. The four-step approach also gives volleyball hitters a chance to adjust if a pass doesn’t match up perfectly with the route. Receivers are also tasked with doing the same. Throughout his high school and college football career, McMillan showcased an ability to adjust in a moment’s notice and make leaping grabs that many others couldn’t.

“His elite ball skills set him apart,” NFL.com’s scouting report on McMillan reads in part.

Getting to that muscle memory point takes a commitment. That’s something McMillan was willing to do.

Dutro said one of McMillan’s best attributes is his ability to be in the moment. Whether it was in baseball, or basketball, or video games, Dutro said McMillan would do whatever he could to win without looking too far in advance. During football season, he committed to it. When it was time for volleyball, he did the same. Dutro said McMillan would often ask him to spend extra time on the volleyball court hitting around blocking racks.

“He’d say, ‘Uncle, hit balls with me. I’ve got to figure it out before I leave,” Dutro said. “He mastered his craft and he tried to master whatever it was at the moment.”

It paid off. At Servite, McMillan blossomed into a top-five wide receiver recruit in the country. By the time his junior volleyball season rolled around, he also had potential college interest in volleyball, too. Which is saying something, considering that McMillan actually was on the average to below-average height range for his position.

To overcome that, McMillan’s leaping ability had to be utilized, and his four-step approach had to be on point. Perhaps the best display came in his final game at Servite.

McMillan helped lead Servite to the state semifinals against Huntington Beach in 2021. That team had multiple college volleyball players lined up against him. It was a tough matchup, and though Servite lost to Huntington Beach, it was McMillan who shined. He finished with a career-high 36 kills in one game. That tied a school record.

“That’s a good way to go out,” McMillan said of his final volleyball game.

In the game story about the match, The Orange County Register described McMillan as a “sky-walking” player — someone who seemingly floated around the apex before going for the kill. Later that year, The Register named McMillan their boys athlete of the year. In a talent hotbed like southern California, that’s no small feat.

Now, McMillan is once again considered one of the best in a talented field. The two-time All-American is ranked as the No. 16 overall player on Daniel Jeremiah’s draft board. He’s ranked as the No. 3 wide receiver in Duffy’s rankings.

“His tape is littered with contested catches,” Jeremiah wrote in his scouting report. “Some of that spawns from an inability to consistently create separation, but it’s also because he’s so comfortable using his plus size to win 50/50 balls.”

McMillan was asked at the combine how he’s able to be so successful with those 50/50 contested catches.

“Man, that’s easy,” he said. “That’s a testament my basketball and volleyball background. Being able to highpoint the ball. At the end of the day, I can have a high vertical, but it’s about timing. I have to meet the ball before the defender gets to it. Huge testament to those sports.”