Clemson Star Shockingly Emerges as Potential First-Round Draft Pick

The general consensus has long been that the Clemson Tigers have three players who could go in the first round of the NFL Draft this April: defensive tackle Peter Woods, edge rusher T.J. Parker and cornerback Avieon Terrell.

That's it.

However, in a recent mock draft by Dan Parr of NFL.com, one unsuspecting Clemson star snuck into the first round: offensive tackle Blake Miller.

Parr has Miller landing with the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 23, which would be a truly unexpected turn of events.

"Even if Lane Johnson does return, the Eagles should prepare for life after the six-time Pro Bowler," Parr wrote. "After all, he turns 36 in May and is coming off an injury. Miller, who made 54 consecutive starts at Clemson, can serve as understudy until his day comes."

It would be pretty odd for Philadelphia to select a tackle in Round 1 if Johnson does ultimately decide to return for next season, as the Eagles would have far bigger fish to try than worrying about replacing Johnson in the future.

It's also equally surprising to see Miller being mocked so highly.

Of course, a lot of things always change between the end of the college football season and the NFL Draft, so perhaps Miller's stock is rising. But the prevailing thought has been that Miller will come off the board midway through Day 2.

There is no doubt that Miller is an impressive physical specimen, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 315 pounds. He also posted back-to-back First-Team All-ACC selections over his final two seasons at Clemson. Plus, he was Third-Team All-ACC in 2023.

Not only that, but Miller immediately started upon arriving at Clemson in 2022, becoming just the third true freshman since 1944 to start every game for the Tigers.

So, yes: there is absolutely reason to believe that the 21-year-old — who was initially only a three-star recruit — is a legitimate NFL talent.

But seeing him get selected on Day 1 would certainly be a bit of a stunner.

Ironically enough, Parr did not even include Woods in his first-round mock draft, just the latest mock to omit Woods entirely.

Originally, Woods was viewed as Clemson's top draft prospect, but that has definitely changed in recent weeks as Miller's status has clearly risen.

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