The Patriots could look to beef up their backfield in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they reportedly met with one potential target this week.
TCU’s Kendre Miller sat down with the Patriots ahead of the Horned Frogs’ pro day, according to a report Thursday from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Miller still is recovering from an MCL injury he suffered during the College Football Playoff. That injury prevented him from testing at the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day, but Rapoport reported the 5-foot-11, 215-pound back is “well ahead of schedule” in his rehab.
After being part of running back rotations in 2020 and 2021, Miller became TCU’s featured back last season and excelled, rushing for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry as his team made a surprise run to the CFP National Championship Game. He ranked 12th among FBS rushers in yards after contact, tied for 12th in missed tackles forced and tied for 13th in runs of 15-plus yards.
“The size and production will check important boxes, but Miller’s lack of tempo and explosiveness between the tackles could turn him into a grinder against the speed of NFL defenses,” Lance Zierlein wrote in Miller’s NFL.com draft profile.
“His restricted stride length provides greater control to cut early in the run, but it works against him when he needs to hit the gas and stride past linebackers. He has the size and strength to keep runs moving through contact, although he could be an even better run finisher. His third-down value is relatively low, so he will need to sell himself as an early down backup on the next level.”
As Zierlein alluded to, Miller wasn’t much of a receiving threat in college, topping out at 16 catches for 116 yards in 14 games as a senior. It’ll also be difficult for teams to get a full sense of his athletic profile since he’ll have no pre-draft testing numbers.
Pro Football Focus’s draft guide projects Miller as a third-round prospect. A seven-round mock draft published Wednesday by ESPN’s Jordan Reid had him going in Round 4.
The Patriots return lead back Rhamondre Stevenson and signed James Robinson to replace the departed Damien Harris. They also have 2022 draftees Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris entering Year 2 and hybrid player Ty Montgomery returning from the season-ending injury he suffered last September. Practice squadder J.J. Taylor remains in the mix, as well.
