NFL Draft 2019 Player Profile: DE Shareef Miller

Where will defensive end Shareef Miller land in the 2019 NFL Draft?

Former Penn State defensive end Shareef Miller put up some solid numbers in his three years with the Nittany Lions. After his third season in 2018, he decided to leave school early and declare for the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft. Miller could fly a bit under the radar, but has the chance to be a sneaky pickup for an NFL team.

Miller came to Happy Valley as a three- star recruit in the class of 2015. A native of Philadelphia, several programs tried to lure the talented defensive lineman away from Pennsylvania, but in the end, Miller opted to stay close to home. Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Florida, Michigan State, and Miami are just some of the schools that offered Miller.

The Penn State coaching staff opted to give Miller a red shirt for his first season in 2015, allowing him to grow and develop his game, as well as getting adjusted to the rigors of college.

During 2016, his first season on the field, Miller appeared in just nine games, but he showed the skills that made him a sought-after defensive end. He finished the year with 22 total tackles, including five for loss.

As Miller progressed in 2017, his knack for getting into the opposing backfield continued to grow. He played in 13 games and finished with 37 total tackles, 11.5 of which were for a loss, including 5.5 sacks.

This past season, Miller was once again a big piece of Penn State’s defensive line and proved to be a very talented defensive end at the collegiate level. He set career highs in tackles (41), tackles for loss (15), and sacks (7.5).

The junior earned an invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis after officially declaring eligible for the draft. He possess good size for an NFL defensive end at six-foot-four and 254 pounds. He turned in a 4.69 40-yard dash in Indy and looked impressive in his drills. He also looked strong during Penn State’s Pro Day in March.

According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, Miller is projected to go in Round 5. He’s disruptive as a pass-rusher and could even project as a linebacker in the correct setting.

Personally, I think that Miller is a bit undervalued. His athleticism and ability to make plays in the backfield are all valuable assets for the NFL game. I could see Miller going as early as Round 3, and he shouldn’t slide further than Round 5.