Rontez Miles: Video Highlights for Former California (PA) FS

Things didn't exactly go as planned during the college football career of free safety Rontez Miles.

Despite a number of scholarship offers, Miles enrolled at Kent State so that he could play with his stepbrother, but academic issues and a marijuana arrest led to Miles' dismissal from the team.

Miles finally found himself at California University of Pennsylvania, where the 6'0", 203-pounder was twice named a Division II All-American and PSAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Those honors were enough to get Miles an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine and a look from several NFL teams. Here's a look at some highlights from Miles' time with the Vulcans.

Live long and prosper.

Yes, I know that was horrible. I couldn't help it. 

A Big Hitter

Granted, given the level of competition that Miles faced for much of his collegiate career, it can be somewhat difficult to accurately gauge his talent level based off game film.

However, there's one skill that can be measured fairly easy, and that's Miles' ability to lay the lumber.

That ability is on full display in the highlight above, where Miles makes an opponent pay dearly for venturing over the middle.

Defending the Run

Rontez Miles has a reputation as a fierce hitter and ball-hawking safety, but that doesn't mean that Miles can't hold his own against the run as well.

On this play, Miles does an excellent job of diagnosing the sweep play. Miles then avoids not one, but two potential blockers.

Finally, rather that propel himself at the ball-carrier, Miles takes the wise approach and wraps up, hauling the opposing wideout down for a big loss.

Ball Skills

In today's pass-happy NFL, the so-called "thumper" safeties that spend much of their time in the box are going the way of the dinosaur.

Today's strong safeties are expected to at least not be liabilities in coverage, and free safeties are being tasked more and more in the passing game by the new generation of field-stretching tight ends.

Not only would Rontez Miles appear to have the speed and athleticism to pull that off, but as this acrobatic interception shows, Miles is also able to make quarterbacks pay for errant throws.

Special Teams Contributor

For many rookies entering the NFL, especially those selected in the later rounds, the ability to make an impact on special teams can go a long way toward securing a roster spot.

Rontez Miles demonstrated just such an ability while with the Vulcans, blocking four kicks during his collegiate career.

That includes this stuffed point, which resulted in a touchdown.

Getting to the Quarterback

At this point, we've shown that Rontez Miles is something of a Renaissance man.

Whether it's laying the big hit, picking off a pass, stopping the run or blocking a punt, Miles was a jack of all trades during his stay in California. (Yes, there's a town called California, Pennsylvania. Yes, I know it's confusing.)

However, there's one base we haven't covered.

Miles also tallied four sacks over his collegiate career, and our last highlight shows Miles harassing an opposing signal-caller on a safety blitz.