2nd Round
Braxton Miller – WR – Ohio St
Strengths: Phenomenal athlete who took to the WR position like a natural after three years playing QB. Possesses a rare combination of speed, quickness, and balance that makes him dangerous at any point with the ball in his hands. Despite very little experience, shows veteran tendencies when running his routes with an excellent hesitation move. Stronger than he appears and is able to break tackles and win 50/50 balls. Has the athleticism to make difficult catches seem routine. Tracks the ball perfectly in the air and has excellent vision of the field once he gets the ball in his hands. Selfless leader who understands the big picture.
Weaknesses: This comes down to two things…inexperience and injury history. Shows many (but not all) of the question marks you would expect in a first year WR. Route running, blocking, and the finer points of the position are all still works in progress. Has a pretty extensive injury history, though it is mostly related to the QB position. Suffered a concussion in 2015 that may be a red flag in this era of the NFL.
The Fit: Some will say that this is too high for Miller, but I think it is more than worth the gamble. I started my film review watching Mike Thomas but was compelled to switch over to Miller. He is a complete natural at the position, and looks to be a very fast learner. It was rare that I could find him making the same mistakes from week to week. If he had another year in school left, he could very well be the top WR prospect in next year’s class.
The injuries are a concern, but he took a lot more hits as a QB than he did (or will) as a WR, so I’m not too concerned. He has the ability to be dangerous anywhere on the field, which makes him perfect for Andy Reid’s West Coast Offense.
Next: Round 3