Potential Lions draft pick Blake Miller offers instant impact, upside

Draft month, finally, has arrived.

Continuing our series, which began earlier this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don’t trade out, it’ll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.

Today’s focus is on Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller.

Blake Miller stats

▶ 13 appearances in 2025

▶ 14 pressures allowed (10 hurries, two quarterback hits, two sacks)

▶ 875 offensive snaps (529 pass blocking, 346 run blocking)

▶ 72 special teams snaps (52 field goal, 10 punt coverage)

Career overview

A four-star recruit in the Class of 2022 who was a multi-year starter at left tackle for Ohio’s Strongsville High School, Miller verbally pledged to Clemson in October 2020 and never wavered from that commitment. “Blake is a very quiet young man, doesn’t have much to say. Probably one of the easiest guys there was to recruit,” former Tigers offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell said in an interview with Clemson’s team website. “He knew what he wanted.” Miller played on both offense and defense as a freshman and senior at Strongsville. He ran track in 2020 and wrestled as a child, winning an Ohio Athletic Committee state championship in 2012.

Miller quickly earned a first-team role with the Tigers and became only the third true freshman since 1944 to start a season opener at offensive tackle for Clemson. He allowed 25 pressures and three sacks in his first collegiate season, according to Pro Football Focus. Miller’s pressure numbers improved in 2023 (22) and 2024 (18) before he was at his best in 2025, allowing 14 pressures and two sacks. His pass blocking efficiency (98.4), a statistic from PFF “measuring pressure allowed on a per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks allowed,” was tied for 10th among 146 qualified FBS tackles in 2025 (minimum 400 reps as pass blockers). He was also voted a team captain.

No one at Clemson has played more snaps from scrimmage than Miller (3,778), and only specialists have made more consecutive starts (54). He’s the fourth offensive lineman in program history to record All-ACC honors in three straight seasons (third team in 2023, first team in 2024 and 2025). He never missed a game at Clemson, and he was absent from only one practice because he needed surgery to repair a broken bone in his wrist. Miller, an ironman at Strongsville, has played eight seasons in a row without being sidelined.

In his final year at Clemson, offensive lineman Blake Miller allowed 14 pressures and two sacks on 503 pass-blocking snaps.

Blake Miller NFL draft analysis

Miller (6-foot-6¾, 317 pounds) has all the tools to succeed in the NFL. His arms (34¼ inches) are longer than all but one other offensive tackle who’s receiving first-round consideration (Georgia’s Monroe Freeling has him beat by half an inch), and he flexed his athleticism at the combine, with promising results in the 40-yard dash (5.04 seconds), 10-yard split (1.75 seconds), vertical jump (32 inches), broad jump (9 feet, 5 inches) and bench press (32 reps).

At Clemson’s Pro Day in March, Miller participated in the three-cone drill (7.75 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.65), a couple of workouts aimed to demonstrate lateral mobility. His times would’ve ranked second and first among OTs at the combine, respectively. His size, measurables and testing numbers resulted in a Relative Athletic Score of 9.90 out of 10.

Most critics of Miller will first highlight his upright nature (pad level), which could be a problem against better opponents in the NFL. He also occasionally leans when taking on incoming defenders. Additionally, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler noted how Miller “delivers adequate pop but doesn’t have overwhelming power to create knock back.” His 54 starts of experience have helped Miller polish his game more than most prospects coming out of college, but by no means is he a finished product.

Lions coach Dan Campbell has been open about his willingness, and perhaps eagerness, to move Penei Sewell to the left side of the offensive line, which is where he played at Oregon. A shift in Sewell’s responsibilities would create an opening at right tackle, where Miller could come in and, ideally, start right away. He’ll have to earn it, though, with Larry Borom serving as his main competition on a one-year, $5 million deal. Rookie tackles will almost always have hiccups (even Sewell allowed 35 pressures in his first season), but if anyone from this group is going to come in and make an early impact, Miller could be the best bet.