Joel Klatt names Kendre Miller as possible NFL Draft steal

Fox’s college football expert Joe Klatt has been getting fans around the country ready for the NFL draft with in-depth analysis of well-known and lesser-known players ready to make the leap to the NFL. During a recent episode on his podcast, The Joe Klatt Show, he broke down some of the steals of the 2023 NFL Draft. And the college football experts’ biggest steal at running back is TCU‘s, Kendre Miller.

“I love TCU running back Kendre Miller,” said Klatt. “I thought Miller was outstanding. When I was preparing for their game against Texas Tech, I loved watching his film. When I talked with the coaching staff, they loved his work ethic, and he was a team-first guy. Everything about him screamed he’s gonna be a really good player at the next level. And yet he hasn’t gotten the hype that I thought he would get.”

Miller was a significant part of TCU’s run to the national championship game and 13-2 record last season. Sadly, he didn’t get to play in the title game after an injury suffered in the Horned Frogs’ semi-final victory over Michigan. Miller would finish his last collegiate year with 1,399 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 6.2 yards per carry. He also added 16 catches and 116 receiving yards from out of the backfield.

Klatt on Miller’s lack of love in draft projections

Despite his level of productivity, Miller is not talked about as much as other running backs in the 2023 Draft. And Klatt knows why but doesn’t think it should be as big of a factor as it appears to be.

“The reason is that he doesn’t have that burst, that eye-opening home run ability. And I understand that. Although, so I will tell you this, when you turn on the tape, here’s what you see: high productivity. It doesn’t matter if he’s inside the tackles, (or) outside the tackles. Could he run the outside zone a little bit better? Yeah, maybe. Does he always read it perfectly? No, not necessarily. But here’s what he’s got: great instincts and a feel for how to move the ball down the field.

“He runs very physical, it’s very rare that the first defender brings him down, and he can catch it out of the backfield. He’s gotta get to some work in pass protection, but what running back that’s a middle-round guy doesn’t?”

Could the TCU star stay in the Lone Star State

Currently, there is one NFL franchise that is showing a significant amount of interest in Miller; the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas has had several meetings with the former TCU standout and is in the market for a new running back after parting ways with Ezekiel Elliott.

“When you look at this guy, it’s productivity. So you overlook… does he have that home run step. Maybe not. But guess what? The dude produces. He’s big, over 210 pounds, and he’s the type of guy that can come in there and play right away,” said Klatt.

“He’s also not afraid. And I’m not talking about afraid in the sense of just like running the ball between the tackles in the physical sense of the game. He’s not afraid of competition. So, it doesn’t matter where he gets drafted; when he gets drafted, he’s just gonna go in there and methodically go about his business to try to get on the field. How do I know that? I know that because he chose to go to TCU even though TCU had just signed its highest recruit ever in Zach Evans… and guess what Kendra Miller is like, I’m gonna go there too because, like, hey, I trust myself. That mentality is going to pay huge dividends for him moving into the NFL.”

There are other NFL teams besides the Cowboys who are looking to bring in Miller. But it remains to be seen who will select the former Horned Frog in the 2023 Draft. One thing is for certain, though; whoever gets him might end up with one of the best picks in this year’s draft and acquire him with a late draft pick.