The second edition in our analysis of top prospects for the Houston Texans heading into the NFL Draft. Last week, Chase Bisontis received his time in the spotlight with a full breakdown. This week, we highlight another highly debated offensive tackle in Blake Miller.
Houston adding right tackles Braden Smith and Trent Brown doesn’t rule them out of building for the future, especially with a high-ceiling prospect such as Blake Miller.
Bio:
- Size: 6’6”, 317 pounds
- Position: Right tackle
- Year/Age: Graduate, 22 years old
- Measurements: 34 1/4” arms (53%), 9 3/4” hands (34%)
- Expected draft range: late first to early second round
Film Analysis:
30-minutes of Blake Miller’s tape will leave you believing he’s either
the next greek god of blocking or future fodder in a Top 10 busts of the 2026 NFL Draft class list. Based on my film review, unsurprisingly, his talent and quality lies somewhere in the middle.
After an initial film review, I understand the inconsistencies in his profile. There’s evidence of elite play coupled with distinct whiffs and mental lapses. So, I abandoned the YouTube edits and dove into Clemson’s full game film. The reason? The contrasting quality of his top and bottom plays are so stark that they need to be in context of a full game of film.
The conclusion? He’s a natural mauler who is being asked to play with finesse. It’s asking Rembrandt to sing. Rothko to act, or Devinci to paint. Each are incredibly talented at one thing, but are unnatural at another skill.
Blake Miller’s PFF scores pop off the screen.
Miller’s pass blocking technique is quite refined, outside of his hands. He can be a bit wide with his grasp, which he gets away with due to his long arms. Bringing those hands in will pair well with his well balanced frame as he rarely leans forward at the point of contact.
His stance. I can’t get over his stance. It looks like he’s playing red light green light and got caught in the most awkward, upright position. It’s balanced, which helps disguise his intentions and the play itself, but I think it causes problems getting depth.
Try it yourself! Stand straight up and try to leap backwards. How far do you go? Now, bend your knees, lean forward, put more weight on your toes, then leap. Did you go farther?
A little adjustment could go a long way with Miller; a bit more forward lean will give him greater power to move backwards. Plus, it will improve his leverage in the run game.
In Clemson’s three-step drop system where the ball is out in less than three seconds, Miller getting depth is key to protecting the QB. That won’t be the case
More on the run game: Miller tee’s off against linebackers. He rarely whiffs or loses his feet when pummeling linebackers with a five yard head start. It’s a much taller task that one thinks; many OTs with his frame struggle to reach and control themselves at the next level, but it’s one of Miller’s best attributes. Then again, when watching the game against South Carolina, he struggled reaching their LBs. The inconsistency is real.
Clemson’s run game is not translatable to the NFL. Counters, zone reads, shotgun dives, and jet sweeps are a-typical in the NFL.He was rarely asked to block out on defensive ends, and when he did he was shucked off his blocks consistently.
Two NFL concepts concern me with Mller’s transition to the league: wide nine’s and stunts. Wide nine’s – when the defensive end lines up outside the tight end’s shoulder – will trouble Miller as their speed and angle will present problems. Again – getting depth in that kick-slide.
The second is stunts. Miller was beaten inside all too-often at Clemson by inside moves; something NFL teams will absolutely target with their best pass rusher. If he can’t protect the inside lane to the QB he can’t play on Sundays. He gave up FIVE pass rushes against Syracuse due to inside moves.
Fit in Houston:
I want Blake Miller to pack his bags, give his landlord a 30 days notice, and move in with Texans newly extended DE Danielle Hunter. Why? Hunter does everything that Miller can’t handle. If Hunter can take the rookie to DE school for a summer, he can help minimize the breakdowns in technique which lead to the blemishes on his film.
To answer everyone’s favorite question, “can he move inside and play guard?”. To put it bluntly, no you cheapskate. Not every rectangle is a square. This is a pure offensive tackle who is already upright as it is. He’s going to make it at as a tackle or not at all.
I went into this review wanting to jeer Miller like an over-served baseball fan in the bottom of the eight inning. That didn’t happen. What I did find were clear technical deficiencies that need to be retooled to resolve recurring problems. Sounds simple, but it’s the same reason why players “never develop”. Failure to learn, absorb, and implement. learn, identify, and deter.
Finally, should Houston select Blake Miller? Given Houston has Trent Brown for one more year, there may not be a better landing spot. Sure, I’d prefer Houston pick him with the 38th pick and not the 28th pick, but that’s neither here nor there. The glaring holes in his game, namely zone blocks, stunts, and power-rushers, could tank his career if Houston can’t work around them. I currently have a mid-to-late second round grade on him.
