1billsfan Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 The one name that's out of the "top five" bubble in this 2011 draft that intrigues me is Von Miller. After reading a few write ups on him it seems like he's one hell of a football player. Could he be next Clay Matthews? Finally a guy who could terrorize Brady? This is where slotting players in the draft a la "Mel Kiper's Big Board" seems too confining. Who's to say that Bowers and Dareus won't end up being busts while Miller becomes a perennial all pro who was drafted much lower than he should have been. This guy seems like the type of player that the Steelers or Patriots would jump on if given the chance. I'm NOT saying that I want him at #3, just that there may be the possibility out there that he deserves that kind of consideration. Where would Clay Matthews go if he were put back into the draft? Anyone who has actual game watching knowledge on Von Miller out there who can give their opinion on this guy's NFL potential? http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1620879 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimp Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I honestly only watched him once this year. I will say that if he can do in the NFL what he did in college, grab him at 3. Easy choice if Fairley isn't available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 I honestly only watched him once this year. I will say that if he can do in the NFL what he did in college, grab him at 3. Easy choice if Fairley isn't available. The only reason he's not being discussed here is that we're sitting at #3 while Miller is 5 to 10 slots down on everybody's "big boards". This guy looks to be an insanely talented pass rushing/great tacking linebacker who's also a solid person. DL guys like Bowers and Dareus scare the heck out of me due to so many top ten DL busts over the last decade. Fairley's going to be a very good NFL player and if he's there he's my pick hands down. But if he's not, I'm at least putting Von Miller's name into the mix due to there being so many DL busts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 The only reason he's not being discussed here is that we're sitting at #3 while Miller is 5 to 10 slots down on everybody's "big boards". This guy looks to be an insanely talented pass rushing/great tacking linebacker who's also a solid person. DL guys like Bowers and Dareus scare the heck out of me due to so many top ten DL busts over the last decade. Fairley's going to be a very good NFL player and if he's there he's my pick hands down. But if he's not, I'm at least putting Von Miller's name into the mix due to there being so many DL busts. Miller is a marginally more talented Maybin at this point. I watched 3 of his games this year and wasnt blown away in any of them. Certainly not enough to warrant drafting him at #3. Honestly, Cam Newton has shown more and is more ready for the NFL than Miller, and Newton will be a project himself. WRT bold, I was thinking the same thing yesterday, in the wake of Fairley moving up the boards and probably going #1. I was scared about possibly getting the 3rd best DL and that he'd bust. While that is always a possibility no matter what the pick position, I went back and looked over the drafts going as far back as 2000 and saw that there are a LOT of 3rd, 4th, even 5th DLs off the board that have contributed greatly to their teams. I'm personally not a Bowers fan and think both Fairley and Dareus are better prospects. But I feel better about taking any of them, and having the contribute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Some discussion of Miller here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Some discussion of Miller here... Thanks, sounds like his size is the real question regarding his NFL potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Van Miller's potential in the NFL I think that Van could still get it done at the NFL level, but he's been retired for seven years now and has shown no interest in coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) For the sake of easing everyones' minds, I just went back and reviewed the last 11 drafts (2000-2010). Out of those drafts, the only Top 10 DL busts I can find are: 1.Vernon Gholston (the obvious one) 2. Not sure how Okoye is doing for the Texans, but he was the 10th pick in 2007 and went to the Texans. Not sure if you want to count Gaines Adams as a bust in that draft as well. Although he was playing well before he passed. 3. Andre Carter went #7 to the 49ers in 2001 4. Courtney Brown, The #1 pick in the 2000 draft. Not sure if he could have ever lived up to the #1 hype, especially in Cleveland. There was only 1 draft where a DL did not go in the Top 10, and that was in 2004 where the first DL off the board was Tommie Harris at 14. Again, that's maybe 4 picks in the last 11 years that busted at DL when drafting early. Some drafts have 5 or 6 contributing DL that went in the top half of the first round. I feel better about all of this. Edited January 12, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananathumb Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Maybin looks like James Harrison next to Von Miller. He may be a decent free safety ... fifth round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aristocrat Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 dewayne robertson, jonathan sullivan, jimmy kennedy(12th) all from the 2003 draft and all are current free agents and pretty big dissapointments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) dewayne robertson, jonathan sullivan, jimmy kennedy(12th) all from the 2003 draft and all are current free agents and pretty big dissapointments. I thought Sullivan played well for the Saints. I could be wrong though, I dont follow that team very closely. Ok, Ill add him to the list. That still makes about 5 over 11 years. I've seen Robertson play well for the Jets, and would be a marked improvement on our DL. And with regard to Jimmy Kennedy, that pick was surrounded by Kevin Williams (9), Terrell Suggs (10), and Ty Warren (13), Michael Haynes (14), and Jerome McDougle (15). Point being, there was still a lot of successful D talent on the board. Im not saying that whoever we pick at #3 will definitely make it. Just that Im not as worried about having to get THE #1 DL in the draft. The 2nd, 3rd or 4th guys can also contribute. Edited January 12, 2011 by DrDankenstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoner7 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Miller is a marginally more talented Maybin at this point. I watched 3 of his games this year and wasnt blown away in any of them. Certainly not enough to warrant drafting him at #3. Honestly, Cam Newton has shown more and is more ready for the NFL than Miller, and Newton will be a project himself. WRT bold, I was thinking the same thing yesterday, in the wake of Fairley moving up the boards and probably going #1. I was scared about possibly getting the 3rd best DL and that he'd bust. While that is always a possibility no matter what the pick position, I went back and looked over the drafts going as far back as 2000 and saw that there are a LOT of 3rd, 4th, even 5th DLs off the board that have contributed greatly to their teams. I'm personally not a Bowers fan and think both Fairley and Dareus are better prospects. But I feel better about taking any of them, and having the contribute. Maybin looks like James Harrison next to Von Miller. He may be a decent free safety ... fifth round. I agree with these Having seen Miller twice this year, I can honestly say I have no idea how the talking heads have this guy as a top prospect. He looks a lot like Maybin not just physically (small, skinny, thin in the hips) but also has atrocious technique. He doesn’t use his hands – at all – he just runs into tackles leading with his shoulder then seems to club with his elbows. Against the run he is even worse, actually turning his back to the ball carrier and losing sight of him completely while getting blown out of the hole and not setting the edge or keeping contain at all. On top of that I don’t think he has the strength to take on blockers even if he had good technique. He also have zero effort on his backside pursuit. He is quick like Maybin but unlike Maybin he does seem to have instincts. I didn’t put him in my multi-player mock draft for a reason. Moats >>> Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Maybin looks like James Harrison next to Von Miller. He may be a decent free safety ... fifth round. Please. Lots of players have switched to smaller shoulder pads to reduce weight and increase speed off the edge. Go look at some of Miller's photos from last year where he wore bigger pads and the old school neck pad. I wouldn't take him at three, but fifth round is one of the most ridiculous things I've read lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 He is quick like Maybin but unlike Maybin he does seem to have instincts. I didn’t put him in my multi-player mock draft for a reason. Moats >>> Miller agreed with bold. If we want to draft Miller, than we might as well use the pick elsewhere and give Maybin another year since Miller will most likely need time to develop himself. Mind you, I'm not really on board with either of those options. Id rather cut Maybin and not draft Miller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lightning Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Umm, small, explosive and fast. All good for a safety and sounds too much like Maybin for my tastes. Let's get some damn beef in here that can blow up an OL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoretalk Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 What I have seen of Von Miller is that his motor is not always going ... when he wants to make plays he seems to increse his intensity but frequently he is sitting back if a "big play" is not within sight. I frankly would be worried about picking him up with the #3 pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks for all of your chiming in here, seems there's a good reason why Miller's not considered top ten talent let alone a #3 pick. I don't follow college football all that much so I wan't sure why a guy who gets so many sacks was getting so little mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 It's not that we don't need a pass rusher (and many other things); but, on the other hand, if teams can run on you all day long does having a pass rusher really matter as much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloaggie Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 He doesn't have the size to be a DE and he is marginal for LB in the NFL. He had some stand out games this year, especially the Oklahoma game, but he does tend to disappear. There is no way I would touch Miller at the #3 pick, and this is coming from an A&M alum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 He doesn't have the size to be a DE and he is marginal for LB in the NFL. He had some stand out games this year, especially the Oklahoma game, but he does tend to disappear. There is no way I would touch Miller at the #3 pick, and this is coming from an A&M alum. Any A&M players that you do hope the Bills select at some point in the draft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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