Who better to get the inside info on the Browns’ new draft class than the bloggers that followed them in college? We asked The Ralphie Report for some insight on Colorado OL Ryan Miller. David Gerhardt was happy to assist.
How would you characterize his college career?
He was a 4+ year starter who was a leader on offense for a group of guys that played through some tough times here at CU. He’s a guy that believes in himself and though he never quite lived up to the expectations we had for him coming out of high school (Parade HS All-American), he still was a consistent and solid force who occasionally had standout performances. He had a number of offensive line coaches at CU and played in a couple of offenses that didn’t necessarily work to his strengths.
What are the Browns getting with Miller?
Ryan Miller is a high-character guy that absolutely loves the game of football. He’s a huge man who gives huge effort. His technique would disappear at times, but he has a pretty solid floor with a good-not-great ceiling as an NFL prospect.
Is there an NFL player that you think is a good comparison?
Marco Columbo who just retired (after he returned from the nasty knee-injury). He’s a big-bodied guy who isn’t quick-footed, but can get it done at RT. He has a mean-streak and can absorb some punishment.
Pro scouts say Miller should transition to RT in the pros, do you think he is a better fit at guard or tackle?
In the NFL he’s a right tackle. He could get away with being that tall in college at guard, and actually had a few standout games inside (including one game where he nearly shut down Ndomukung Suh in his Heisman runner-up season), but he would struggle there full-time against NFL quality competition. He could slide inside and I would imagine they practice him there some for flexibility. He’s got the right demeanor for RT, playing mean and showing the ability to get a strong first punch and lock up guys that are quicker than he is, slowing them down.
Were you surprised by his draft position?
Actually that’s just about where I figured he would get picked. Some folks felt he could potentially get picked as high as the 2nd round (especially after Nate Solder from CU was taken in the 1st last year), but we figured it would happen somewhere in the middle of Day 3.
Where do you see him in three years-
All Pro, Solid Starter, Bench Contributor, Bust
Somewhere in between solid starter and bench contributor. He’s a guy that can play in the NFL for a long time, especially once he earns that RT spot. He won’t make an All-Pro team, but he’s a guy that a team can win with at right tackle. I think he needs at least a season of adjustment and work, but he can definitely be a 10-year starter on that right side. And because his ceiling isn’t incredibly high, he probably won’t stay with 1 team for that stretch, but he’s a guy that can hold down the position for teams that need a solid football-playing-dude (as Bill Parcells would say)
Any additional comments you would like to make?
You’ve got a good guy there that won’t take any plays off. Take care of our Alumnus. The University of Colorado is proud of him. And feel free to stop by The Ralphie Report with any more questions and to give us any updates on him you’d like to share.
