Tag: Ventrell Miller

These eight Gators made the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl watchlist

Which of Florida’s seniors will wind up in the Reese’s Senior Bowl at the end of the year? Here are some to keep an eye on.

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Eight Florida football players made it onto the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist: safety Trey Dean III, defensive lineman Zachary Carter, linebacker Ventrell Miller and Jeremiah Moon, tight end Kemore Gamble, running backs Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, and offensive tackle Jean Delance.

Last year, Kadarius Toney, Trevon Grimes and Shawn Davis represented the Gators in the Senior Bowl. Toney and Davis were selected in the 2021 NFL draft along with quarterback Kyle Trask, who turned down an invite to the game due to injury. For NFL hopefuls, the final game of their collegiate careers can make a world of difference in terms of draft stock. The annual game is coached by personnel from two NFL teams typically and consists mostly of prospects for the NFL draft.

Carter, Gamble and Miller perhaps have the best chance of the eight to see some action in the game. Miller and Carter could have declared for the draft after last year but both decided to return. Carter has the benefit of returning to his natural edge position after filling in at tackle last year. Gamble is finally getting a crack at the starting tight end role after sitting behind Kyle Pitts and he’s ready to make the most of it.

The Senior Bowl will be played on Jan. 29 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

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These four Florida players earned preseason All-SEC honors from the media

A quartet of Gators football players was named to preseason All-SEC teams on Friday.

Four Florida football players were named in total to the three preseason All-SEC teams Friday. Defensive back Kaiir Elam and defensive end Zachary Carter were selected to the first team while linebacker Ventrell Miller and wide receiver Jacob Copeland were designated to the second and third teams, respectively.

This is the second-straight season Elam, Carter and Miller appeared on the preseason All-SEC teams.

Carter has been regarded as the team’s best defensive lineman and lived up to that role in 2020. He recorded 36 tackles, five sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and 12 quarterback hurries.

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Miller led the team in tackles with 88 while adding 3.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss,  a fumble recovery, three pass breakups and a QB hurry.

Elam was named a preseason second-team All-SEC member like Carter and Miller. The standout defensive back is seen as one of the best NFL draft prospects for the Gators. He turned in 39 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions in his sophomore campaign.

This is the first year Copeland has been named to any of the three All-SEC teams. He started 11 games at receiver caught 23 catches for 435 yards and three touchdowns.

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Ventrell Miller could justify NFL first-round selection with another strong year

The 2021 season is a major opportunity for Ventrell Miller to prove his worth as a first-round NFL draft prospect.

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It took two years for Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller to see significant snaps on the field. But now that he’s gotten his chance, Miller has become a leader of the Gators defense. In 2020, he tallied 86 tackles, which is 18 more than anyone else on the team.

Because of that production, two summer football magazines listed Miller as Second Team All-SEC. Some early 2022 NFL mock drafts from USA TODAY and Yahoo Sports have him selected in the first round. Bob Redman of Swamp247 called the 2021 season a contract year for Miller because he has the opportunity to prove he’s worthy of a first-round pick in 2022.

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When he first arrived in Gainesville, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the three-star prospect from Lakeland, Florida. Miller was suspended his whole first year at Florida because of his involvement in the credit card scandal. Then his head coach Jim McElwain and defensive coordinator Randy Shannon were fired. Miller felt like he had to start all over again.

His current linebackers coach Christian Robinson shared a story with the media right before the 2020 season began that he remembers in 2018 when Miller came into his office upset and asking for an opportunity to play.

Robinson told him that he’ll get his chance but also told Miller that he needed more confidence fitting blocks and covering some receivers. He took that next year to work on those skills and then became a starter in the 2019 opener versus Miami, where he recorded two sacks and made a big play with the game on the line.

“He’s an older guy and been here a long time,” sophomore Andrew Chatfield said about Miller, according to Swamp247. “He knows how the game is played. “He knows what’s going on. A good leader, you see what he did last year, he was a big help in that defense. I think our linebacker group is going to be really OK. We are actually going to be fine.”

Despite the recognition he has earned, Miller is determined to keep his nose to the ground and keep working because he has unfinished business that he’s trying to complete.

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Linebacker Ventrell Miller returns for fifth season looking to lead UF defense

Ventrell Miller led the team in tackles as a redshirt junior, and he returns as one of UF’s most experienced defensive players.

Name: Ventrell Miller

Number: 52

Position: Linebacker

Class: Redshirt Junior

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 230 pounds

Hometown: Lakeland, Fla.

High School: Kathleen

Twitter: @ventrell_miller

2020 statistics:

TOT SOLO AST SACK FF FR YDS PD
86 52 34 3.5 0 1 0 3

Overview:

A three-star recruit coming out of Kathleen High School, Miller originally committed to and signed with former coach Jim McElwain in 2017, becoming a part of the Lakeland-to-Gainesville pipeline.

He had to wait until his second season on campus to see the field, though, as he spent the entire 2017 season suspended for his role in the credit card fraud incident. He finally rejoined the team in 2018, and he appeared in all 13 games playing on special teams and as a reserve linebacker, finishing with 15 tackles, a sack and a pick.

Miller’s role increased considerably as a redshirt sophomore in 2019. He appeared in 12 games and started 11 of them, eventually finishing second on the team in tackles with 55. He also had three sacks.

He entered his redshirt junior season in 2020 expected to be one of the leaders on defense, and though the unit as a whole struggled considerably, he had a solid season. He played in 11 of Florida’s 12 games, and he started 10 of them.

Miller led the team in tackles last season with 88 in addition to notching 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss (all career-highs). Though he certainly could have been selected in the 2021 NFL draft, he decided to return for a fifth season in Gainesville, where he should be one of the best players on defense.

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This Florida linebacker will return for fifth year in 2021

Ventrell Miller’s experience and proven ability to perform at the SEC level will make for a nice bridge to the next wave of linebackers.

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The 2021 Gators’ defense is getting an unexpected boost, as it was announced on Thursday morning that linebacker Ventrell Miller would be returning for a fifth season in the Swamp. Miller, who was a significant part of the Gators’ second level of defense last season, was expected to depart for the NFL after he put up decent numbers as a senior. Instead, he’ll be taking advantage of the limited extended NCAA eligibility available to all fall athletes.

Miller was not likely to command a high draft pick – he’s athletic, but he doesn’t have the skills to start in the NFL next year – so his choice to return to Florida makes sense from that perspective. He is almost assuredly going to play another full season as a starter, giving him the opportunity to boost his draft stock.

Miller’s return to campus is a victory for the team as well. His experience and proven ability to perform at the SEC level will make for a nice bridge to the next wave of linebackers. That group was already beginning to earn snaps last season, and 247Sports noted that fellow Amari Burney and Mohamoud Diabate will likely serve a bigger role next season. The development of freshman Chief Borders, a high-end three star recruit, will also benefit from the added depth in the linebacker room.

What should Florida faithful expect from Miller next season? In 2020, he led the team with 52 solo tackles, tied for the team lead with 34 assists, and also managed to collect 3.5 sacks. There’s no reason to believe that his stats will dip due to his quality of play, although the sheer number of tackles available to him may go down as the talent around him has improved this offseason.

We wrote last month that Miller seemed like an interesting fit for the Lions‘ bench, but unless he takes a big step forward next season, he’ll likely be looking at a bench role at the next level again in 2022. He’s a strong, rangy tackler, but he stands to improve if he can increase his lower half strength. That’s easier said than done for a physically mature 22-year-old, but it could tap into some hitherto unseen production.

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Former Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller could provide badly-needed depth for the Detroit Lions

The Florida defenseman is expected to go pro in the next NFL draft, and the Detroit Lions could be a good landing spot for him.

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Not much went right for the Florida Gators’ defensive unit during the 2020 season. While the offense was setting records and torching opposing teams, the defense often prevented Florida from truly breaking away and roundly outclassing them, and it eventually cost the team a trip to the College Football Playoff. It would be unfair to say the whole unit was a failure, though.

One of the bright spots on the defense was a breakout season from linebacker Ventrell Miller. The former three-star recruit found a starting role on the Gators in 2019 and never looked back. In 2020, he led the team with 52 solo tackles, tied for the team lead with 34 assists, and also managed to collect 3.5 sacks. As a redshirt junior, Miller has little left to prove in the NCAA. His future lies in the NFL, and he is expected to declare for the 2021 NFL draft.

To be honest, Miller doesn’t have much of a reputation as a professional prospect in national circles. NFL Draft Network places him as the 204th player on their list of 2021 draft prospects and ESPN left him off their list entirely. Clearly, he has shortcomings, but being left off a publicly available list with over 100 days until the draft is far from a death knell.

Odds are, if he wants to be a pro, he’ll find a home as one of the 256 drafted players or as an undrafted free agent. Almost every team could use more depth, but the Detroit Lions stand out as an organization that could be a match for Miller.

NEXT: How Miller fits in Detroit

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Ventrell Miller named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after big game against Tennessee

Florida Gators added another award to their impressive 2020 season when LB Ventrell Miller was named defensive player of the week by the SEC

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Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller made his mark in Florida’s win over Tennessee. Now, the redshirt junior is seeing some recognition for his work.

He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Volunteers on Saturday, in which he led the Gators defense with 12 total tackles.

Miller also notched a sack in the game, putting his season total at 2.5. This is his second time winning the award this season, as he also received it following UF’s season-opening win over Ole Miss.

He has been one of the bright spots on a struggling unit this season. He leads the Gators in tackles with 66 on the season, and he’s third in tackles for loss with 5.5.

Behind the effort of Miller and the Florida defense, the Vols talented rushing attack was held to just 94 yards on Saturday. The Gators will need more performances like that from their defensive unit if it will hope to contain Alabama in the SEC Championship on Dec. 19.

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These two Gators players were our standout performers against the Vols

There were strong performances from Gators on both sides of the ball, but two stood out as the very best that Florida had to offer.

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

A strong second-half performance by the Florida Gators secured the team’s victory against Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, moving them to an 8-1 record and securing a spot in the SEC Championship game. The team came out of the gate sluggish, but things picked up as the afternoon drew longer, resulting in a final score of 31-19 against the Vols.

Of course, the team has a number of star players who have fueled their immensely successful run this season. This game put an exclamation point on the breakout campaigns of Kyle Trask and Kadarius Toney while also keeping Kyle Pitts firmly in the top spot among draft-eligible tight ends.

The defensive unit looked considerably more capable than in recent weeks as well, thanks to the help of a number of players. There’s plenty of praise to go around, but of course, only one can be the player of the game on each side of the ball, and there are no easy choices.

NEXT: Gators’ offensive player of the game

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Linebacker Ventrell Miller named SEC Defensive Player of the Week

Ventrell Miller was all over the field during the win over Ole Miss on Saturday, totaling 15 tackles.

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It may not have been a great defensive performance on the whole for the Gators on Saturday. They gave up over 600 yards of offense and 35 points to Ole Miss on the road.

But in spite of that, the performance from UF linebacker Ventrell Miller earned him recognition as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

Miller was all over the field during the win over Ole Miss on Saturday, totaling 15 tackles.

DEFENSE
Ventrell Miller, LB, Florida

  • Miller posted 15 tackles, 13 solo and two assisted, on Saturday in Florida’s 51-35 victory at ole Miss. Miller also collected two tackles-for-loss (17 yards) and one sack (11 yards).
  • With his 15 tackles, Miller had the most tackles in the Southeastern Conference over the weekend and was one of only two players in the SEC to post double-digit solo tackles.
  • Miller is also tied for No. 5 in tackles-for-loss and tied for No. 8 in sacks in the conference.

As a unit, the Gators defense has much to improve on, especially in the secondary. It allowed quarterback Matt Corral to throw for nearly 400 yards, and it needs to tighten up significantly against South Carolina on Saturday.

But Miller, one of the better returning starters on Florida’s defense, is off to a fast start in 2020.

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Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller named to Butkus Award Watch List

Redshirt junior Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller has been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, announced on Monday.

Redshirt junior Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller has been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s top linebacker, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.

Miller is one of 51 players nationally to be named to the watch list for the award.

The Lakeland product is coming off a strong sophomore season in which he started 11 of the 12 games he appeared in and finished second on the team in tackles with 55. He ended the season with back-to-back career-high performances in tackles, notching eight against Florida State and Virginia.

Miller also earned three sacks on the year, two of which came in the season-opening win against Miami.

The list will be cut down to semifinalists on Nov. 2 and finalists on Nov. 23 before the winner is announced on Dec. 8.

Here is the full watch list.

Shane Lee Alabama
Dylan Moses Alabama
Merlin Robertson Arizona State
K.J. Britt Auburn
Terrel Bernard Baylor
Max Richardson Boston College
Kuony Deng California
James Skalski Clemson
Nate Landman Colorado
Ventrell Miller Florida
Azeez Ojulari Georgia
Monty Rice Georgia
Jake Hansen Illinois
Mike Rose Iowa State
Damone Clark LSU
Jabril Cox LSU
Cameron McGrone Michigan
Lakia Henry Mississippi
Erroll Thompson Mississippi State
Nick Bolton Missouri
Troy Andersen Montana State
Chazz Surratt North Carolina
Paddy Fisher Northwestern
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Notre Dame
Tuf Borland Ohio State
Baron Browning Ohio State
Pete Werner Ohio State
DaShaun White Oklahoma
Amen Ogbongbemiga Oklahoma State
Malcolm Rodriguez Oklahoma State
Isaac Slade-Matautia Oregon
Hamilcar Rashed Oregon State
Micah Parsons Penn State
Derrick Barnes Purdue
Blaze Alldredge Rice
Riley Cole South Alabama
Garret Wallow TCU
Henry To’o To’o Tennessee
Joseph Ossai Texas
Anthony Hines Texas A&M
Buddy Johnson Texas A&M
Riko Jeffers Texas Tech
Carlton Martial Troy
Devin Lloyd Utah
Dimitri Moore Vanderbilt
Charles Snowden Virginia
Rayshard Ashby Virginia Tech
Joe Tryon Washington
Jahad Woods Washington State
Treshaun Hayward Western Michigan
Jack Sanborn Wisconsin

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