Penn State Recruiting: Joshua Miller in T-Frank's Film Room

Penn State recruiting took another boost for the class of 2023 on Monday. Assistant coach Phil Trautwein continues to define the future of the Penn State offensive line, and it can be summed up in one word: big. The Nittany Lions secured the commitment of mammoth Life Christian Academy guard prospect Joshua Miller this week, beating out Clemson in the process. The Colonial Heights, Va., native brings size, power, and incredible run-blocking potential to the Lions as a ready-built bulldozer on the interior of the line. 

Miller is the 361st ranked player in the nation according to On3 but plays right tackle for Life Christian Academy. That means there is some projection in his film evaluation, which we’ll delve into today.  

Penn State Commit Joshua Miller

Strengths:

Size: There’s nothing to project about Miller’s growth potential as a football player. That’s because at 6-foot-4, 328-pounds, he’s already the correct size for a college lineman. It also seems that the vast majority of that weight is good weight. With that size, he consistently road-grades a path for the offense. While more strength development is always necessary, he’s well ahead of players at his position. His path to the football field is more about refinement than growth.

Technique: There are obvious signs of maturity from the Life Christian Academy junior on film that bode well for his long-term development. He’s already a solid technician, with a fundamentally good kick slide good balance when run-blocking. Another positive sign is that he’s a willing communicator on film, pointing out protections and going over mistakes in-game with teammates to work out the issue in-game.  

Quickness: One of the more apparent signs that Miller isn’t carrying bad weight is his quickness and linear speed at the snap. He’s got a good burst off of the line to win the point of contact with defensive linemen and can get to the second level with urgency. Unfortunately, there aren’t any reps on tape of him pulling, which he will have to do at Penn State. Yet his work getting to the second level is a good indication of this ability. Another good sign is his flexibility and pad level. Because of that, there’s only one actual area of development that is clear on film. 

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Areas of Development:

Lateral Agility: Aside from his overall length and height, the biggest reason that Miller will move inside is his lack of lateral movement skills. He does not have the athleticism to get to the apex of rushes against speed players. Because of this, he’ll overcompensate, leaving himself open to counter moves inside that he cannot shut the door on. This issue is not going away but should minimize by moving to guard.

Lunging: It’s a common problem for a player that lacks overt speed and athleticism to lunge at quicker, smaller blockers in space. And it’s one flaw in Miller’s otherwise outstanding technique as a blocker. If he faces a player who can evade initial contact, he has the bad habit of lunging after them and falling off-balance. It’s also related to his ability to maintain contact through the block, which is generally good, but could improve. 

Projection at Penn State:

Right Guard: There’s not a lot of difference between guard positions in modern football, but for tradition’s sake, Miller should pencil in on the right side. He’s a solid fit as a run-blocking guard with a robust frame, good quickness, and excellent pad level. His potential to dig under and root out defensive tackles should have Penn State fans breathing a sigh of relief. Those same skills and coaching should make up for any lack of lateral agility that shows up in space as well. This opens the door for him to be a quality pass-protector. Still, he’ll still need to focus on this area not to be beaten by smaller, quicker defenders, but the task is not as tall from the inside of the line.