Ventrell Miller NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Jacksonville Jaguars' LB
HEIGHT: 5'11 7/8"
WEIGHT: 232
HAND: 9 1/8"
ARM: 32 1/2"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: TBD
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
– Against outside runs, he has good speed to beat offensive linemen to the spot and a solid rip move to slip blocks. Also uses the rip move well on the backside of inside runs.
– Decent at using his athletic ability to avoid blocks without veering too far out of his gap.
– Takes good angles and has good lateral range as a run defender.
– Quick to sniff out screens.
– Speed allows him to carry running backs and tight ends down the field or play Tampa 2 coverage.
– Solid at reading the quarterback's eyes when playing zone.
– Decent hand-eye coordinator to get PBUs in coverage.
NEGATIVES
– Undersized for an NFL linebacker and doesn't have much room for growth on his frame.
– Has struggled to stay healthy over the last couple of seasons.
– Lacks the strength to get extension and hold his ground against offensive linemen when he has to take on blocks with his hands. Also, struggles to get off blocks because of this.
– Tackles high and/or doesn't bring his feet with him, making him susceptible to getting run over by running backs and leading to missed tackles.
– Against play-action, he comes too far downhill and is late to transition to his pedal or ROBOT, leaving the middle of the field open.
– Change-of-direction skills are rough, he often ends up slipping and falling, which becomes an issue in man coverage.
– Can do a better job of locating threats when playing zone.
2022 STATS
– 11 GM, 74 total tackles (34 solo), 8.5 TFL, 2 PD, 2 FFs
NOTES
– Born January 15, 1999
– A 3-star recruit in the 2017 class, No. 569 overall, No. 36 OLB, per 247Sports' composite rankings
– Injuries: 2021 (Torn bicep, missed all but 2 games), 2022 (Lower body, missed 1 game), 2023 (Jones fracture [foot], had surgery and missed Senior Bowl)
– Suspended for the 2017 season after being charged with credit card fraud. The case was dropped after completing a pre-trial intervention program, per the Tampa Bay Times.
– 33 career starts
– 2020 Honors: SEC Academic Honor Roll, Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week
– 2018 Honors: SEC Academic Honor Roll
OVERALL
Ventrell Miller is an older prospect who turned 24 in January and has suffered a few injuries over the last couple of years, which could significantly impact his draft stock. The latest was a Jones fracture in his foot that required surgery and kept him from participating in key pre-draft events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
On the field, Miller is a solid coverage linebacker who has the speed to carry pass-catchers down the field and has solid ball skills. His change of direction is a bit of an issue in man coverage, but he's decent at reading the quarterback's eyes, which will help him fit into a zone-heavy system.
The Gator also has shown flashes of being effective using his athletic ability as a run defender, too. He has good speed and angles against outside runs and can slip blocks from offensive linemen in space. However, he lacks the size and strength to hold up at the point of attack when taking on blocks from offensive linemen against inside runs.
Overall, Miller would be a solid WILL linebacker in even fronts as a backup. Teams who are looking for someone to fill that role and are in contention might like that he's older as the learning curve won't be as steep for him. This issue is he'll need to be able to contribute on special teams, which he didn't do very much in college.
GRADE: 5.8 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)
OVERALL RANK: 213
POSITION RANK: LB13
PRO COMPARISON: Matthew Adams
