It is clear from the Panthers pre-draft visits that they are certainly not sold on their existing receiving corps, and while this doesn’t mean that they definitely will look to add another receiving option in the early rounds of the draft, it is probably more likely than not at this point. One player that they have shown repeated interest in is Memphis’s Anthony Miller, somebody who is likely to be available for the Panthers on the second day of the draft; in fact, Miller himself said that the Panthers told him it was a possibility he would be their pick. So what could Miller bring to the Panther’s existing receiver corps?
Core Skill Set
Miller doesn’t have the elite speed of some other receivers in this class, but the 4.50 forty yard dash he ran at his pro day is more than respectable and should allow him to gain vertical separation at the NFL level. This was certainly the case in college where he was able to offer a vertical element to the Memphis passing attack on plays like the following:
This was further aided by his ability to vary speed, as he used hesitations effectively to freeze defenders before using his superior acceleration to gain vertical separation:
In addition to the ability to get deep, he also showed great awareness for ball position on these deeper routes. On the following play, he is able to get over the top of the cornerback but, seeing that the pass is slightly underthrown, he does a good job of adjusting by bending his route inside somewhat which is what allows him to get his body between the defender and the ball and makes for a far easier, if still contested, catch:
What this play also shows is the quality of Miller’s hands as a receiver. On the following play, Miller demonstrates not only the ability to track the position of the ball and the coordination to get his hands in place, but also the timing to bring his hands up right at the last moment, which makes it far harder for the trailing defender to make a play on the ball:
Miller also has a penchant for the spectacular, as evidenced by this nice one-handed grab:
This is never going to be a core aspect of his game, but it does speak to his hand-eye coordination, a useful skill for a receiver. Where Miller is most impressive, however, is in his ability to make contested catches. He is not an especially big receiver, and doesn’t rely on this ability to outjump defenders, but rather tracks the ball extremely well and, as shown earlier, is able to keep his hands down until the last moment. The following is hardly a high percentage throw with the corner draped all over Miller, but he is still able to come down with the ball:
Many receivers in this same position look to jump and reach down over the defender for the ball, something which is extremely difficult, but Miller is able to complete receptions with strong hands and excellent awareness of where the ball and defender are. This was especially valuable in the red zone where the diminutive Miller was able to be surprisingly effective on fade routes and similar:
It is really unusual to see a smaller receiver be able to make these plays with such consistency, and a lot of it comes down to how he is able to manipulate the defender’s body position. He is able to run through his route with his head facing the ball, which allows him to adjust at the last minute in order to create momentary separation at the catch point. As impressive as this skill is, Miller is unlikely to be making his money as a red zone option at the NFL level, but rather by using his lateral agility to be an effective route runner underneath.
Next Up: Route Running
