HOUSTON – Clemson standout offensive tackle Blake Miller, one of the top blockers in the NFL draft, visited the Texans, per a league source.
A former freshman All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, Miller set a record at Clemson with an iron-man 54 consecutive starts. The team captain missed two practices in college and played 3,778 snaps.
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He is a projected first-round draft pick linked to the Texans in mock drafts.
“I feel like I’ve seen a lot of football,” Miller said during the NFL scouting combine. “I’ve been a part of a lot of plays.”
Miller is regarded as one of the more polished and consistent offensive tackles in the draft. The 6-foot-6 3/4, 317-pound Stongsville, Ohio native has 34 1/4 inch arms and ran the 40-yard dash in 5.04 seconds at the NFL scouting combine with a 1.75 10-yard split. He recorded a 32-inch vertical leap and bench pressed 225 pounds 32 times.
Miller played right tackle for Clemson. The Texans have a starting right tackle in Braden Smith after signing the former Indianapolis Colts starter to a two-year, $25 million contract along with a former Pro Bowl selection in massive swing tackle Trent Brown.
The Texans, though, could be thinking about a succession plan for the future, though, and immediate quality depth.
Miller is known for his quickness and improving technique and run blocking. He has an aggressive mentality.
And Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is a huge fan of what Miller is all about.
“I love Blake Miller. He’s a warrior,” Swinney said. “You think about that. He started every game in his entire Clemson career, from a true freshman, and now has played more snaps than anybody in the history of Clemson, and missed two practices in four years.”
Miller became the first Clemson offensive lineman to start every game played by Clemson over a four-year span since offensive linemen Jim Bundren and Glenn Rountree.
“He is a grown man and a great football player, a great teammate,” Swinney said. “He’s always available and just loves to play the game, and he led all the way till the very end. He was elected captain, and I’m really proud of his growth off the field, as much as I am on the field.”
He chose Clemson over Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, LSU and Notre Dame.
“I’d like to think that my teammates were able to count on me,” Miller said. “That was the biggest thing is I wanted to be dependable. I wanted to be available for my teammates. Come third down, third and long, I didn’t want to be sitting there and everyone’s looking at me hoping I make a block. I wanted guys to be confident and believe in me.”
Miller played in the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State rather than forego the bowl game to get ready for the NFL draft.
As a junior, he missed one practice due to a broken wrist and didn’t miss a game.
“I remember I was out there kind of felt it felt the wrist go on a pull play, hit someone, and then you know, ended up getting it soft-casted up and played the rest of spring ball up until right before spring break,” Miller said. “It was the only day they had for surgery so I had to miss a practice for that, which kind of sucked.
“After that, recovered a little bit and then they had me out there in what looked like a giant snowball or mitten on the end of my hand and just trying to make it work from there. I want to be available.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com