Intro
There are many names to know for the 2026 NFL Draft, but the endless list of players can be narrowed down to those who have a fitting skillset for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Clemson right tackle Blake Miller could be on that short list. Let’s take a closer look at the Miller:
Background
Miller was a three-star recruit coming out of high school, but he had offers from many major schools. Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, and Notre Dame were all schools that offered Miller. He ended up enrolling at Clemson.
Miller
immediately made an impact, starting as a true freshman for the Tigers. Over four years, Miller went on to start in 54 games over four seasons. He was an Iron Man for Clemson, avoiding the injury bug for the vast majority of his career. Miller missed one practice over four years at Clemson. He played a remarkable 3,778 college snaps.
Miller made three All-ACC teams over his last three years of school. For a program that hasn’t produced many NFL offensive linemen, Miller stands out as the best prospect the Tigers have had in the offensive line room in a long time.
Miller’s stock improved after his athletic testing. He came in at a great size of 6 feet 6 inches tall and 317 pounds with 34 1/4-inch arms. He ran an impressive 40-yard dash (5.04 seconds) with a 1.75 10-yard split. His vertical jump of 32 inches and broad jump of 9 feet 5 inches were also great marks for an offensive tackle.
Miller’s Strengths
The best part of Miller’s game is his athleticism. His explosiveness jumps off the screen. His first step out of his stance covers a ton of ground, whether he’s moving forward or backward.
When moving forward, that first step can be maximized in multiple ways. Miller is excellent in the screen game because he gets downhill quickly and can block defensive backs in space. In the run game, he works effectively on the backside of zone concepts to cut off defensive linemen. He can also function in a power-based scheme, using his burst to generate movement at the point of attack. This skill also makes him an effective puller.
Miller’s explosiveness also shows up in pass protection. He regularly beats defensive ends off the snap, which allows him to keep his shoulders square and hips in position to absorb counters. Miller rarely loses quickly on a rep because edge rushers struggle to beat him around the corner early.
Miller mainly uses a 45-degree angle set, which can be a difficult set to execute. If he doesn’t win the angle early, defensive ends can get an easy path to the quarterback. That rarely happens with Miller because he consistently beats rushers to the spot. He also mixes in jump sets, which highlight his ability to explode off the snap and land first contact.
Miller is also comfortable anchoring against power. He has enough experience to understand how to position his hips, and he’s strong enough to reset his anchor foot and build a firm wall. He also has the athletic ability to sink and reestablish leverage when needed. He shouldn’t have issues anchoring against NFL defensive ends.
Where Miller needs to improve
There are two main areas where Miller could seemingly improve.
First, he needs to clean up his hand usage. He tends to get his hands outside a defender’s frame, which creates problems. He exposes his chest too often, and that won’t work consistently against NFL edge rushers who are powerful and technically refined. Wide hands can also lead to holding penalties.
Secondly, Miller needs to use more vertical pass sets. He relies heavily on 45-degree sets, which can still be effective, but shouldn’t be a tackle’s primary technique. Even with Miller’s athleticism, those sets can create favorable angles for speed rushers. A vertical set would put him in a better position to handle such speed. He has more than enough movement skills to do it; he just needs more reps in that style of protection.
How Miller fits with the Chiefs
Miller fits with the Chiefs for several reasons. First, he meets the size requirements head coach Andy Reid typically prefers at tackle. Reid often leaves his tackles on islands in pass protection, so length and recovery athleticism are important. Miller has both, and his testing numbers should translate well to protecting in space.
He would need to become more comfortable with vertical pass sets to play in Reid’s system, but that shouldn’t be a difficult transition. He has the footwork and athletic ability to handle it; he just needs further coaching.
Miller is also good enough in both zone and power schemes to fit what the Chiefs want as a run blocker. The offense wouldn’t need him to carry the run-blocking abilities, considering the rest of their offensive line talent, but he’s versatile enough to be a seamless fit.
The Bottom Line
The hesitation surrounding the Chiefs’ potential selection of an offensive tackle at pick No. 9 stems from the value of the players available. Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa are clean prospects, but have concerns about being long-term tackles instead of moving inside to guard. Monroe Freeling and Max Iheanachor have prototypical tackle size and athleticism, but have raw talent in need of significant development.
That said, the Chiefs still need a right tackle at some point in this draft. Jaylon Moore is the likely starter entering the season, but he has yet to start a full NFL season. His contract also expires after the 2026 season, so even if he plays well, Kansas City still needs a long-term answer.
Miller is my favorite option for that role. With his experience, tape, and athleticism, I feel good about his projection as a long-term starter. He’s closer to the top tackles in this class than he gets credit for, but he’s currently being mocked in the late first round rather than the top 10.
That creates real value for the Chiefs. In my opinion, Miller would be worth targeting late in the first round, and I’d even consider a modest trade-up to secure him. He’s one of the best options for Kansas City’s second first-round pick.
