2012 NFL Draft: In-Depth Scouting Report of Lamar Miller

The 2012 NFL Draft is less than three months away, and with All-Star games and the NFL Combine coming up shortly, NFL teams are starting to put their big boards together.

Lamar Miller from the University of Miami is highly regarded as the second best running back prospect in this year's class behind only Trent Richardson. There are numerous teams that have their sights set on Miller, hoping that he'll be available when they pick in the first round.

Today we'll take a look at an in-depth scouting report of Miller.

Run Instincts

What To Look For:

When looking at run instincts in a running back, we want to see patience, vision and the ability to run to daylight. Is he willing to wait for a hole or does he wait too long? Does he see the hole quickly and hit the hole hard?

Does he sense tacklers around him? Does he set up blockers so he can make one cut and be gone? Can he press space quickly?

The most important of these is vision. We want to see a running back that has plus vision. We want him to see the hole, hit it hard and run to daylight.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

Miler possesses plus vision and the ability to hit holes. He rarely waits too long for a hole to appear, and once he sees one, he hits it hard. 

He's got the ability to set up blockers, make one hard cut and run to daylight.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 8.5

Elusiveness

What To Look For:

With elusiveness, we're looking for the ability to make a man miss. We want to see quickness, agility and balance.

We want to know whether he makes a man miss. Does he do it by breaking tackles or through plus speed and quickness? How does he fare in tight spaces?

How athletic does he look compared to every other player on the field?

The most important trait that we're looking for here is with regards to balance. We don't want a running back that runs upright. We want one that has natural body control and runs with his pad level low.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

There is no doubt that Miller has the ability to make men miss. He can do it in a few different ways. He's got the quickness and speed to simply outrun defensive players and make them miss that way, and he can also break tackles to pick up extra yards.

In tight areas, Miller has a plus grade due to his ability to be shifty and agile with defenders around him.

He's got good balance with natural body control, and he runs with his pad level low, which is good.

One area that really impresses me about Miller is the fact that he looks like the most athletic player on the field. He's got plus athletic ability and really looks impressive athletically compared to the players around him.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 9.0

Inside Running

What To Look For:

The first thing we want to see with regards to inside running is a plus first-step burst. We want that first-step burst to be decisive and powerful.

We're also looking for the pad level, lower body strength and yards after contact.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

The key to a good inside runner is having a great first-step burst, and Miller absolutely possesses that. You'll watch him get the ball, make one cut and be through the hole and into the second level in no time.

He also has a strong and thick lower body which allows him to break arm tackles. He runs with a forward lean and his pads down. This allows him to get extra yards after contact because he's always falling forwards.

I'd definitely give him a plus grade at getting yards after contact.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 9.0

Outside Running

What To Look For:

Once again, we want to see that first-step ability when scouting the outside running ability of a running back. Can he get to the corner, and then turn the corner?

We want to see a second gear from a running back. Can he run away from defenders?

Finally, we want to see a stop-and-go ability. We want a running back who can change directions quickly.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

The big plus that Miller possesses is that second gear where he can run away from defenders. Often times, it will look like a defensive player has a good angle on Miller, but Miller's second gear allows him to get past that player.

He struggles at times getting to the corner, and he will try to do too much at times. However, when he does get to the outside, he has the ability to change directions quickly.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 7.5

Blocking Ability

What To Look For:

There are two different types of blocking ability that we want to see from a running back. We scout their run-blocking ability and their pass-blocking ability.

With run blocking, we really just want to see a willingness to block if someone else is running with the ball.

In pass blocking, we want a running back that will stand and take a hit. We want to know if the running back understands blocking schemes, or if he misses his assignment. Does he anchor down to block or does he simply chop block?

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

This is one area where Miller struggles compared to other backs. 

Miller often lacks the understanding of blocking schemes in pass protection. This is something that can absolutely be learned, but as a prospect, he doesn't have that ability right now.

He looks willing to get in there and block, but the technique and understanding simply aren't there.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 5.5

Hands, Receiving

What To Look For:

The first thing to look for is whether the running back can catch the football. Does he have good hands in the receiving game? We then want to know if he uses his hands to pluck the ball, or whether he use his body to trap the football as a receiver.

Some other things to look for are body control, yards after catch and route-running ability. We want a running back that can line up in the slot as a receiver, and then turn back into a running back after he's caught the ball.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

Some say that Miller needs to improve his hands as a receiver. However, when watching film, Miller displays a pretty good ability to pluck the ball away from his frame.

He has good hand-eye coordination, and can adjust to poorly thrown balls to make the reception.

When he does make the reception, it takes Miller a little time to get back into that "running back" mindset. He'll be a little slow-moving right after a catch instead of turning his head quickly and becoming a running back instead of receiver.

His route-running ability will need some work, but he is athletic enough to play the slot.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 7.5

Intangibles

What To Look For:

With intangibles, we're looking for toughness and durability. We want to know if he's missed any time because of injury. Can he take a hit and play with some nicks and bruises, or is he unable to play through the pain?

We're also looking to see if he is a home run threat. Does he have the ability to make that big play?

We also want to see how his ball security is, and whether or not he makes numerous mental errors. Does he know where the holes are? Does he miss blocking assignments often?

Finally, we want to see how he handles negative plays. Is this a running back that simply takes what's there, or does he try to do too much and lose even more yards?

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

Intangibles are a definite plus for Miller. He's a tough kid who plays hard and gives his all.

He's an absolute home run threat and he has a nose for the end zone. There is rarely a time when he'll get tackled for a loss.

One area that still needs some improvement is improving on mental errors, especially as a blocker. This will likely improve with more playing time, since he's only started one year in college.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 8.5

Improvisational Skills

What To Look For:

As far as improvisational skills go, we simply want to see some creativity out of a running back.

We want to see a broken play during which we're screaming into our televisions, "No, no, no," and the next thing we know, he's breaking that play for huge yardage.

What Lamar Miller Possesses:

Huge plus for Miller in the improvisational skills category. There were multiple times when a play looked absolutely dead, but Miller found a way to turn it into a huge gain.

This is exactly what you want from a running back. He's got the creativity to turn nothing into a huge gain.

Final Grade (1-10 Scale): 9.5

Final Grade

Final Scouting Grade: 8

Lamar Miller possesses plus vision, first-step burst and athletic ability. He's a strong runner with good lower-body strength. He can easily break arm tackles and is strong enough to generally gain positive yards on carries.

He'll need to improve as a blocker, and will need a little time to develop as a receiving threat, but both of these areas should improve with good coaching.

One area of concern is his lack of experience. It would have been nice to see another year of Miller as a starting running back, but from what we see on film, he looks to be capable of carrying a starting load in the NFL.

Miller definitely deserves to be drafted in the first round or early second round, and possible destinations are the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.