Running back is probably somewhere on the Detroit Lions draft radar, and TCU’s Kendre Miller is in for a late visit on Wednesday.
As the Detroit Lions fill their allotment of top-30 pre-draft visits on the last day to do so, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported TCU running back Kendre Miller is in Allen Park for a visit on Wednesday.
Miller had a great final season for the Horned Frogs in 2022, rushing for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he looks likely to be able to take on a big workload at the next level. In three years at TCU he had more than 85 carries once, as part of a backfield committee before last year. So he also has plenty of tread left on the tires, and a nose for the end zone (seven rushing touchdowns on 83 carries in 2021).
One question with Miller is his pass-catching chops, with just 16 receptions last season and 29 career catches in college. But he did average over 7.0 yards per catch in each of his last two seasons.
Detroit Lions could draft a running back right in the range Kendre Miller will be taken
Miller is a top-100 range prospect in this draft for evaluators, and a top-10 running back for most. He’s lined up to be drafted in the third or fourth round.
With potential to be a three-down back in the NFL, even with some immediate limits in the passing game and knocks on him as a blocker, Walter Football has Nick Chubb as a comp for Miller. The Huddle offered Javonte Williams as a comp. The 33rd Team went with Aaron Jones.
The Lions of course notably signed David Montgomery to a three-year deal in free agency to be their new lead back. But D’Andre Swift is entering the final year of his contract, and he won’t be re-signed at any point barring something surprisingly unforeseen.
So adding a running back in the draft is hardly out of the question for the Lions, and if nothing else Miller is a pretty interesting prospect.