ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller speaks ahead of the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

Matt Miller is a well-known and renowned NFL Draft analyst. Matt Miller joined ESPN in 2021 as an NFL Draft contributor before becoming the Draft analyst in 2022. In April 2023, Miller debuted on-air NFL Draft during day three of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City when he joined ESPN’s broadcast for rounds 4-7. 

Miller has covered the NFL on multiple platforms for ESPN from NFL Live, SportsCenter, Get Up!, NFL Draft and Mock Draft specials, ESPN+ exclusive programs, ESPN Radio, etc.

Before joining ESPN, Miller was Bleacher Report’s lead NFL Draft writer from 2010-2021 where he became the most-read author in the site’s history. 

Tuesday afternoon, Miller, held a media conference, to discuss with the press his latest two-round mock draft, here, the latest 2024 NFL draft position rankings, and overall thoughts on various players and team needs ahead of the combine.

Matt Miller’s thoughts on JJ McCarthy

One of the questions the press asked Miller was about Michigan Football’s quarterback Jonathan James, commonly known as J.J. McCarthy, who he is and his upside ahead of the combine?.

“I think the combine will be, my first opportunity to see him throw in person which is a, huge part of the evaluation process for me just getting eyes on a player i think we, all saw how well C-J Stroud did last year at the combine how much that helped his stock so JJ could absolutely have a similar week whether it be you know the interviews, the testing portion, the throwing portion, those are all really, really crucial for him, especially because he’s an underclassman. He wasn’t at the Senior Bowl. So he didn’t have that opportunity, like Bo Nix, or Michael Penix, actually take a look at him up up close, and also to have that, that interview portion.”

Miller then went on to talk about what he’s hear from scouts on JJ’s potential, college performances, and if those performances can transfer to the NFL level.

“So I think with JJ, the thing I hear from scouts is, great arms strength guy only lost one game, in college football which is, is very impressive, no matter if you wanna give winds to the quarterback or not. And then it’s the ability to get better. You know, the athletic potential is through the roof. He’s a good mover. He’s got room to grow into that frame. He’s 6’3, probably 205 lb. He’s got room to get bigger and stronger. There were throws he made against Ohio State and there were throws he made against Alabama that make me think, yep, that’s the top ten pick. But then you have to wonder, okay, we’ve got this team with 18 players going to the combine. How much was he helped by his supporting cast? How much was he helped by a team that, you know, was able to just line up and run the ball at will and keep defenses so frustrated with the run game or the great offensive line. So those are, those are the big questions. As far as JJ goes, unfortunately, you know, the combines not a great environment to evaluate, OK, well, this guy did throw the second half against Penn State. How’s it gonna handle, you know, the pressure of an NFL D defense? Or how’s it gonna handle when he has to throw the ball 35 or 40 times a game? The combines just gonna help you get to know who he is this person, try to see how he’s wired and best predict how he’s gonna handle those environments.”

Miller’s thoughts on the potential number one pick, in promising players USC’s quarterback prospect Caleb Williams 

Tunnel Vision also got a chance to ask a question to Miller, asking his thoughts on one of the most promising players in this combine is USC’s quarterback prospect Caleb Williams who has the trophies a Heisman Trophy winner and 2022 College Player of The Year and has the stats throwing for 9,782 yards and 93 touchdowns who’s been compared Patrick Mahomes, but if he can live up to that and similarly to JJ, transfer those performances to the NFL, professional level.

“I’m afraid to compare anyone to Patrick Mahomes, so I’ll be honest, that feels dangerous. That’s a great way to have a cold takes tweet you. So I do think that there’s some similarities, you know, in the arm angle, the arms strength, especially on the move, the ability to play off schedule and extend the play to string out of defense and wait for something to happen. But I definitely think that his type of play translates well. Caleb is in this way in that what makes him great is also what scares you, because what makes him great is that ability to string the defense along and hold the ball until that absolute last moment and find a player. So it’s a lot of off rhythm, off schedule type stuff.”

Miller goes on to add that although that there are similarities between Caleb and Mahomes and that there’s no denying he’ll have success in the NFL like Mahomes he’ll need a good team around him to help him succeed. 

“I think I saw the chiefs say, “It’s like, backhand football times,” because it’s just find a spot and Patrick’s gonna gonna find you. Caleb almost needs to be in a similar situation, but that could mean early bumps and bruises, so you gotta have the infrastructure around him. That you’ll be patient with some of those early bumps and bruises that that we didn’t see from Mahomes because he sat for that first year. So Caleb is my number one player in this draft with a bullet, like no one else is taking that spot. He’s special, he’s unique. So I’m not worried about him having NFL success. I think it’s going to be important that, wherever he’s drafted, and it sounds like it’ll be Chicago, it’ll be important that Chicago has a framework in place for him. I think it really helps them that they’ve got Ryan Poles as general manager who was in Kansas City and watched some of the guard rails that the Chiefs put up for Mahomes, so that he could be great and be creative, but still have that early success because he did have a good scheme and system around him.”

“Ravens find value better than anyone at the middle round,” says Miller

Miller also answered a final question from the press on the Ravens, specfically about many running backs coming soon to the free agency market and having day two and day three picks if it make sense for them to invest in the draft or spend money on the free agency market players. 

“Can I say both? That they should do both? You know I hink you have three running backs maybe four running backs who are free agents. So, I think it’s definitely a possibility that you go with a one year veteran and then draft a player as well. As far as Baltimore goes, this is such a deep running back draft in the third and fourth round at least where I have players ranked right now. I have one running back rated ahead of that, thats Jonathan Brooks from Texas, who I have in the second round. But there are five running backs in the third round and six running backs in the fourth round. So I think this is such a great year to kind of pick your flavor. What type of running back do you want? Do you wanna Braelon Allen, a powerful downhill runner, Jaylen Wright from Tennessee, MarShawn Lloyd from USC, they kind of fit that mold a little bit better. Or do you want somebody who’s a little more versatile out of the back, like Bucky Irving from Oregon, or Will Shipley from Climson, Dylan Johnson fromWashington State. A lot of players who kind of fit that same mold of we’ve got some slashers here, but we’ve also got some power guys. So I think with Baltimore it would be interesting.”

Miller also adds to how these running backs will be scrutinzied for not being the first round picks, but that this class of running backs is a really good one and that in the end the Baltimore Ravens will be good with whatever they end up deciding to do.

“It’s gonna get talked about it like a bad running back class because there’s not a first round draft pick one year after we had two drafted in the first round, actually I think this is a really good running back class. It’s just a lot of those players are gonna be drafted out 75 to 250 is probably where they gonna come off the board. It’s such great value and the Senior Bowl is a great example of that. There were six or seven really, really good running backs there who can all be rep contributors in the NFL. They’re just not gonna be drafted early because they might lack speed or they might not be a perfect steam fit for teams. But the Ravens do a better job than maybe anyone in the NFL at finding value in the middle rounds. So if they do decide to draft a running back, I mean there’s not a bad pick between, you know, round three, round four. Everyone would be a good fit. We have Lamar Jackson out there that makes any running look fit I feel like.”

What’s up next for Matt Miller?

Matt Miller will head to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine to interview and evaluate potential NFL players, which will be from Mon, Feb 26, 2024 – Mon, Mar 4, 2024.