Sunday, April 28, 2019

Scotty Miller Drafted!

So, the good news out of yesterday's final day of the NFL draft is that Scotty Miller was drafted in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's excellent news and we are very happy for him.  Warm your heart here.


By the way, that video was posted by James Morgan, who QB'd here, just to see what kind of guy he is.

Miller is an all-time great at BG.  He finished 3rd in all-time receptions and receiving yards.  He was all-MAC twice...one on the first team and should have been twice...his senior year he was 7th nationally in receiving yards and 18th in receptions and yet did not make first team.  He also holds a MAC Championship ring.

The Miller narrative is one of being under-appreciated.  He had one FBS offer.  And he wasn't invited to the combine or to any of the all-star games.  What I suspect moved him into the draftable range was that he ran a 4.3 on pro day at BGSU and when you combine that kind of speed with the production you saw at BGSU, and people started to take notice.

Again, incredibly happy for him.  As I said, he's an all-time great.  He's a Falcon forever and a champion forever...regardless of whether he plays a down in the NFL.  We're rooting for him like crazy, but he could quit now and never be forgotten here.

One reason why is because he stuck with this team through some of the worst years in the program's history.  He could have transferred or quit, but he kept battling and fighting even when there were precious few victories to savor.

A few notes as it relates to the draft and the NFL...

  • I saw somewhere that if Miller plays in the NFL, he will be one of three WRs on the 2015 championship team to play in the NFL, and Teo Redding is on the Packers practice squad.  (Thanks to the commenter who pointed this out to me).
  • It is BG's first draft pick since 2012 when Chris Jones was picked.
  • Since 1994, BG has had six players picked in the draft.
  • BG has had players make the NFL as UDFA coming out of the Clawson years...Adjei Barimah and Gabe Martin both played in the NFL, along with Gehrig Dieter and Ryan Hunter.
  • As far as I know, BG didn't have any UDFAs or camp invites this year.   Update Montre Gregory has a camp invite to KC.

The MAC had 9 players drafted into the NFL.

2nd round, 39th overall    DB Sean Bunting (Central Michigan) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2nd round, 55th overall    OT Max Scharping (Northern Illinois) by the Houston Texans
3rd round, 66th overall    WR Diontae Johnson (Toledo) by the Pittsburgh Steelers
4th round, 106th overall   DE Maxx Crosby (Eastern Michigan) by the Oakland Raiders
6th round, 175th overall   DE Sutton Smith (Northern Illinois) by the Pittsburgh Steelers
6th round, 185th overall   DB Ka'dar Hollman (Toledo) by the Green Bay Packers
6th round, 195th overall   DB Xavier Crawford (Central Michigan) by the Houston Texans
6th round, 207th overall   LB Ulysees Gilbert (Akron) by the Pittsburgh Steelers
6th round, 208th overall   WR Scott Miller (Bowling Green) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The surprise here is Tyree Jackson, who left Buffalo early and was projected to be a day 2 pick and fell completely out of the draft.  He was the conference offensive player of the year and I feel sort of fell in the Omar Jacobs trap.  He did sign with Buffalo.  The knock I heard on him was accuracy, which people are fond of saying know can't be taught to someone his age.

Also, Anthony Johnson wasn't picked, a bigger surprise for my money.  He's going to join Miller in Tampa Bay.

MAC Prospectus is tracking the UDFA/invite scene, which you can find here.

You look at the list, and you just see how you can be a really good player in the MAC and not be drafted.  It's just not easy.

I was glad to see Sutton Smith drafted.  I think he can play for the Steelers.

1 comment :

Money said...

Teo Redding plays for Green Bay Packers