Ja’Quan McMillian is gearing up for an exciting 2024 season after a standout second year in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. His impressive performance has everyone talking, and it's no wonder why.
McMillian finished the 2023 season with an impressive stat line: 51 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. Broncos coach Sean Payton had high praise for McMillian’s instincts and football IQ. "He has really good instincts," Payton noted on Dec. 12 last year. "Part of it is timing – you know, snap count, a lot of those things. He’s a smart player."
The Broncos have seen McMillian's talent shine since he joined as an undrafted free agent from East Carolina in 2022. Initially starting on the practice squad, McMillian was promoted to the active roster for the season finale in his rookie year. That opportunity was just the beginning. As GM George Paton recalled on Jan. 9, "‘J-Mac,’ who in his first year got to play in the last game, grew the entire offseason. When he got his chance, he excelled."
Last fall, McMillian's hard work paid off in a big way, leading to a breakout season. Payton continued to highlight McMillian’s instinctual play: “The instincts you feel and see on tape — it’s hard to measure those… You see that, and you feel that,” Payton said on Dec. 13. “In split-second decisions, he’s making the right ones and he’s in the right area."
After playing in 16 games last season, McMillian is set to be Denver's top slot cornerback in 2024. With his current trajectory, McMillian's career looks very promising. If he keeps up this pace, Broncos fans have a lot to look forward to.
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