Dallas Cowboys Draft: 10 Edge Rushers for the Cowboys

Christian Miller, Alabama

What’s Good: Speed, Explosiveness, Hand Usage

What Ain’t Good: Power, Size

Christian Miller and Jachai Polite play similarly. They are explosive and fast athletes who are really effective rushing the passer. They aren’t powerful at the point of attack. However, Miller is better than Polite when it comes to his hand usage. Miller has 35 1/8″ arms according to NFL.com and he uses them to his advantage, something Polite simply doesn’t have.

Something Miller struggles with is his power; this was not an issue for Polite. Miller is really explosive and he has long arms but when he engages in contact with his opposing lineman, he doesn’t do anything to cause an imbalance. He does that when he swipes past his opposing tackle as expected.

Miller is also built the same way as Polite. He’s an inch taller and has longer arms but he weighs around the same for his playing weight. Both guys are light and it is clearly helpful when speed rushing past a tackle. When Miller isn’t able to speed rush or use his hands to create some type of misdirection, he falls into the grasp of his opposing linemen. The chances of him escaping their grasp is really up in the air.

Where does he fit?:

Miller is a less powerful version of Randy Gregory. Gregory had a similar build as Miller even if Gregory is three inches taller. Both are explosive and fast at the point of attack. Gregory could generate way more power on a bull rush than Miller but the hand usage and technique is there for Miller.

Miller has the ability to succeed at the next level and seeing how his skill set is a lot like one of our own, it wouldn’t be crazy to think the Cowboys choose to select Miller in the second round assuming he’s available at 58. From a scheme fit, Miller does exactly what you would need him to do, replace Randy.