The 2023 NFL Draft is here! After months of waiting, we finally know where the 2023 NFL Draft class will land. This information shapes the outlook for rookies in 2023 and beyond. We’re going to have you covered throughout and following the 2023 NFL Draft to help you prepare for your fantasy football leagues. Next up for many will be dynasty rookie drafts. To help you prepare to make your dynasty rookie draft picks, let’s dive into Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft profile as well as Pat Fitzmaurice’s dynasty rookie draft outlook for Kendre Miller.
Dynasty Rookie Picks & Predictions: Saints Draft Kendre Miller
Let’s first see what NFL Draft expert Matthew Jones says about Kendre Miller.
Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft Outlook
Background:
Texas native and two-star recruit who carried the ball 54 times for 388 yards and two scores (7.2 yards per attempt) as a freshman. He then totaled 83-623-7 (7.5) the following year before breaking out with a 224-1,399-17 (6.2) line as the feature back this past season as of the time of writing. Has also caught 29 career passes, all but one of which came in the past two seasons.
Positives:
Won the starting role this past season and had an outstanding year. Big back who will meet any team’s size requirements. Plays with the grit, physicality, and toughness teams look for at the position. Pretty patient back with above-average vision and quick feet to recognize and shuffle into lanes. Makes sharp cuts in congestion. Shows impressive burst/decisiveness and solid speed to rip off chunk plays when lanes are open. Hard runner who’s able to get through arm tackles and fights hard to push the pile and pick up extra yardage after contact, wearing down defenders over the course of the game. Able to squeeze through congestion and burrow ahead for additional yardage. Can hear the pads click when he lowers his shoulder. Violent spin move allows him to create something out of nothing when faced with early penetration. Racked up touchdowns this past season and could find an early-career role near the goal line.
Negatives:
Can run high at times, exposing his lower body to punishment. Looks better pounding it between the tackles than he does on outside rushing attempts, struggling to consistently win the edge. Overall balance is closer to average, causing him to leave some yardage on the table. Cleaned up his ball security this past year but fumbled three times in less than 100 touches as a sophomore. Doesn’t look like a natural receiver and wasn’t a particularly productive back on passing downs in college; drops and double-catches too many passes. Hasn’t been an effective pass-protector in school.
Summary:
May not be the flashiest back in the class, but has one of the most pro-ready games between the tackles, with the size, vision, footwork, burst, power and physicality to grind out tough yardage up the middle and to convert opportunities near the goal line. As it currently stands, doesn’t appear to have much value on passing downs, so is probably destined to work into a team’s running-back rotation as an early-down/short-yardage power back, complemented by a receiving/blocking specialist. Could conceivably sneak into the second day and shouldn’t fall much further than that.
2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook: Kendre Miller
The Saints selected Miller in the third round of the NFL Draft, and New Orleans is an interesting landing spot for him. With Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams ahead of him on the depth chart, Miller doesn’t have a clear path to playing time, but a looming suspension for Kamara could change that. Kamara faces assault charges for an incident in Las Vegas during the 2022 Pro Bowl weekend.
Miller ran for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns in his final season at TCU, helping the Horned Frogs make it all the way to the National Championship Game. The 5-11, 215-pound Miller is a tough inside runner who rarely gets taken down by arm tackles. His physical style could him a candidate for goal line duty at some point, and his big TD total in his final college season suggests that he has a nose for the end zone. Miller has good vision and impressive acceleration.
With only 16 receptions last season, Miller hasn’t shown much as a pass-catcher and could be limited to early-down work. He didn’t become a starter until his junior year.
Look for Miller to go in the early-to-mid second round in 1QB dynasty rookie drafts and in the late second or early third round in superflex drafts.
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