What is Miami getting in the Jackson State linebacker?
A week after the 2023 NFL draft process, the Miami Dolphins brought in nearly two dozen rookie free agents, affectionately known as UDFAs. These undrafted free agents can get calls throughout the draft weekend. If their names aren’t called for national recognition with an announced selection by a team, another call could happen seconds after the final pick.
Miami made quick work in signing their class of 2023 UDFAs, and Dolphins fans know currently rostered players who made a name for themselves in training camp, regardless of not hearing theirs a few months prior.
Recently, cornerback Kader Kohou excelled in 2022, while tight end Tanner Conner made the initial 53-man roster last year as well. Offensive lineman Robert Jones was a UDFA who cracked the team and lineup in each of the last two seasons.
Cornerback Nik Needham is another current Dolphin who was even a practice squad player following being undrafted. About a month or so into the 2019 season, Needham was called up, so to speak, and earned his role.
Almost immediately into the 2023 undrafted time window, Jackson State linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. was signed by general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins.
Starting his college career at Missouri before transferring in 2020, Miller was a star for Deion Sanders at Jackson State. Miller was named All-SWAC and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, while Sanders is now the head coach at Colorado.
While a bit undersized, at 6 feet tall, Miller is a very solid 229 pounds and built like a truck. A capable tackler in the open field, ball-carriers will likely remember being hit by Miller.
A solid project for linebacker-savvy defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Miller is also a candidate to make a name for himself on special teams in coverage duties. With some appearances in college on coverage units, he showed promise. This could be his ticket to a practice squad role at least, and he could challenge for training camp social media supremacy within the fan base.
Some scouts pegged Miller as a sixth or seventh-round pick, so when looking at UDFA value, Grier may have found another diamond in the rough.
Should Miller make a run for linebacker duties immediately, his areas of strength would be blitzing as opposed to defending the pass in coverage.
With fine intangibles, he was warranted as an early signee with Miami, as his Jackson State coach Sanders gave a glowing endorsement.
“Aubrey is one of the guys that we hang our hats on in the middle of the defense, making calls, getting to the ball, flying around, and really setting the tone and the tempo,” Sanders said. “Not just on game day, but in practice as well.”
Miller was a team leader and led by example for Coach “Prime,” ranking ninth in the FCS last season with 112 total tackles, averaging 8.6 per game. He also added 6.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He has a high motor and could be a spark-time player in multiple phases of the game.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said Miller has “vision and anticipation to shadow runner’s lane choices. He’s fearless to crash hard and punish downhill runners and has had impressive flashes in limited special-teams snaps.”
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