Brugler: The biggest steal of NFL draft could be …
While Alabama’s Calvin Ridley is the consensus top receiver in the NFL Draft, there is little agreement about which wideouts will come off the board next.
NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Dane Brugler was touting Maryland’s D.J. Moore before most of his peers, and Moore does seem to have steadily risen among various mock drafts and Big Boards. Brugler, for sure, still believes. He rates Moore at No. 14 in his latest Top 100 Big Board.
Maybe he’s also right about another wide receiver.
Brugler was asked recently in a Dallas Morning News Q&A: “Which single player do you think will be the biggest steal of this draft?”
Brugler picked a receiver who he rates as the third-best in the draft.
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Brugler was asked recently in a Dallas Morning News Q&A: “Which single player do you think will be the biggest steal of this draft?”
Brugler picked a receiver who he rates as the third-best in the draft.
“We’ll have to see who slips in the draft, but an early guess would be Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller, who has been quiet this pre-draft process because of a foot injury,” Brugler wrote. “His tape shows a top-50 player in this draft and he will be a steal if he falls a little bit because of the injury. I think Indiana tight end Ian Thomas will be a steal as well.”
Miller (5-11, 201 pounds) suffered a foot injury in Memphis’ bowl game, had to miss the Senior Bowl and was limited to the bench press at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he did 22 reps of 225 pounds. At the Memphis Pro Day this week, he impressed with a 39-inch vertical and a reported 40-yard dash time between 4.46 and 4.52.
NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Rob Rang projects Miller going No. 65 overall to the Cleveland Browns with the first pick of the third round. Brugler rates Miller as the 36th-best prospect on his Big Board.
“From walk-on to record-breaker, Miller is a crafty route-runner with the sudden feet, body control and spatial instincts to skirt defenders,” Brugler wrote. “He projects as a reliable No. 2 receiver with the basement of a quality slot option.”
Miller caught 96 passes for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, ranking third nationally with 112.5 receiving yards per game.
