Christen Miller DL Georgia |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #52 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/25/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.0 DOB: 08/05/2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #52 | |
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 03/25/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | |
| Age: 22.0 DOB: 08/05/2004 | |
| Overall Rating: | 85.0 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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60% |
| Pass Rush: |
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78% |
| Run Defense: |
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98% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#59
Position rank:
#14 (DL)
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| College Games: 43 College Snaps: 1076 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 94/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mazi Smith - Michigan |
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76% |
| Kris Jenkins - Michigan |
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73% |
| Braden Fiske - Florida State |
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72% |
Drafted: ROUND: 2 - Pick Number: 42 (NO)
Draft Profile: Bio
Christen Miller came out of Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia as one of the most decorated defensive linemen in the 2022 recruiting class. Miller earned four-star status from every major recruiting service and was selected to play in the prestigious All-American Bowl. His high school resume spoke volumes: two Georgia Class 3A state championships, a third-round playoff appearance, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year honor as a senior.Miller stayed home to play for the Bulldogs and took the patient route to playing time. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2022, appearing in just four games while the defending national champions rolled through another dominant season. His 2023 campaign saw expanded action across 13 contests as a rotational piece, totaling 14 tackles with four for loss and a sack. The production was modest, but the tape showed flashes of a player who could eventually become a starter. That opportunity came in 2024 when Miller locked down 10 starting assignments, recording 27 tackles, 3.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks while turning in a career-best five-tackle performance against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl Quarterfinal.
His 2025 senior season showed steady production with 20 tackles, 3.0 for loss, and 1.5 sacks across 13 starts. The numbers were similar to previous years, but Miller's presence in the middle of Georgia's defense was undeniable. He earned preseason All-America recognition from multiple outlets including ESPN and the Associated Press, landed on the All-SEC First Team by both the media and coaches, and was named to watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award. Miller finished his collegiate career with 1,076 defensive snaps over 43 games, establishing himself as a reliable anchor in one of college football's most productive defensive line factories.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Run defense is his bread and butter; he posted one of the highest run-stop grades in the entire draft class and consistently swallows up interior gaps like a black hole.
- Gets off the ball with a quick first step that catches guards flat-footed, allowing him to disrupt timing in the backfield before plays can develop.
- Heavy, violent hands deliver real shock on contact; when he lands his punch clean, offensive linemen visibly jolt backward and lose their positioning.
- Plays with excellent leverage and rarely gets stood up at the point of attack; his pad level stays consistently low and he generates knockback power through his hips.
- Versatility to line up anywhere from nose tackle to five-technique gives coordinators multiple looks; he has experience at every spot along the interior and can handle the responsibilities of each.
- Balance and body control stand out for a man his size; he stays on his feet through contact and can redirect without losing his base even when taking on double teams.
- Active pursuit player who works down the line to squeeze running lanes; his effort level stays high whether the play is coming at him or away from him.
- Natural strength allows him to stack blockers, peek into the backfield, and shed when he locates the ball carrier; his two-gap potential is genuine and translatable.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Pass rush production never matched his physical tools; just four sacks over four seasons despite regularly winning his initial contact suggests he struggles to finish at the quarterback.
- Tackling inconsistency showed up in 2025 with a missed-tackle rate that spiked dramatically; that kind of regression raises durability and focus questions for evaluators.
- Lacks a developed counter-move repertoire when his bull rush gets stalled; relies too heavily on raw power and needs more technical refinement to become a three-down player.
- Gets tunnel vision at times when trying to penetrate, losing awareness of misdirection and play-action; he can be fooled by teams that attack his aggressive tendencies.
- Shoulder surgery following the 2024 season and subsequent missed spring practice creates legitimate durability concerns that need monitoring throughout his rookie year.
Scouting Report: Summary
Put the tape on and you see a defensive tackle who can absolutely wreck a running game. Miller's ability to hold the point of attack, absorb double teams, and maintain gap integrity translates immediately to the professional level. He plays the game the way old-school defensive coordinators dream about: low pad level, heavy hands, relentless motor. The run defense grades speak for themselves, and any team looking to shore up their interior against the ground game will find a ready-made solution here.Here's the deal, though: Miller's ceiling depends entirely on whether he can develop as a pass rusher. The traits are there. He has the explosiveness to win early and the hand strength to control blockers. But the lack of a refined pass rush plan means he wins almost exclusively on effort and athleticism right now. That can work as a rotational piece, but becoming an every-down starter requires growth in that area. The good news is that he showed incremental improvement each season at Georgia, and the right defensive line coach could unlock something special with the raw tools he brings.
His fit works best in a scheme that values versatility along the defensive front. He can play the nose in an odd front and eat up space, or he can kick out to three-technique in sub packages and use his quickness to penetrate gaps. Teams running multiple fronts get the most value from his skill set. The shoulder injury warrants attention during medicals, but assuming he checks out physically, Miller profiles as a high-floor interior defender who contributes from day one against the run with legitimate upside to become more if his pass rush develops.
Christen Miller percentiles vs other Defensive Lines (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Christen Miller (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
46.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
13.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.