For Matt Miller, it’s the most wonderful time of year. The ESPN analyst will have a prominent role in the network’s coverage of the NFL Draft, which takes place April 24-26. Miller will be at Lambeau Field to give you his thoughts and predictions on the prospects.
He joined ESPN in 2021 and made his on-air draft debut during Day 3 of the 2023 event. Before that, Miller worked at Bleacher Report for over a decade.
We recently caught up with Miller, who signed a contract extension with ESPN last month, to discuss his career and the draft.
Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Awful Announcing: How did you first get interested in the draft?
“It’s funny. I don’t remember what it was because I was so young. I’ve asked my older brothers. I’ve asked my parents, ‘When did this become my thing?’ They’re like, ‘It just always has been.’
“I was one of those kids buying the draft magazines, sending off to get Mel Kiper’s book back in the day, and reading the Sporting News so I could follow all the rumors. Even in the pre-Internet days, I was addicted to the idea of player movement and the draft.”
What is it like for you to do the draft now?
“You’re sitting there for about eight hours, all told. It’s exhausting, but it is such an adrenaline rush. This will be my third year doing Day 3. It’s hard to shut down after the fact. You’re kind of on a high a little bit. And so it is hard to make yourself slow down. Using the restroom is usually the No.1 priority, getting something to eat, and then trying to rest as much as possible. That Sunday is a busy day as well for doing draft recaps. It is unlike anything else I’ve ever done.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nStFJnE4FHQ
You’re juggling so much information. Have you ever lost your train of thought?
“My very first draft, I said that the Raiders had taken a player when the Jaguars had, I believe, in the fourth round. It’s one of those things I immediately knew was wrong, but I was already thinking ahead. I was already thinking about what was going to come next. So, it’s a lesson learned of slowing down, to live in that 90-second moment, of talking about that player because that’s something their whole family will be watching. Give them the time they deserve.”
Who is the safest pick in this draft?
“Ashton Jeanty. He is scheme-versatile and fluid. You could play him in any offense. He’s going to be explosive. He has shown his ability as a receiver out in the backfield. And then as a runner, he’s second to none, especially in this year’s class with his vision, contact balance, and all the different things he brings to the table.”
Who is the riskiest pick?
“Cam Ward. He’s going to go first overall. I don’t know anyone who has him rated as the best player in this draft. For me, he’s No. 14. Other folks might have him a little bit higher than that, but he is not the consensus best player in this class. (He’s) in a spot where the pressure of No.1 overall is on you, the pressure of reviving a franchise in Tennessee, and all the expectations that come with being the first overall pick and the first quarterback taken. The history of the first quarterback in the draft as of late isn’t very good.”
Will Travis Hunter play more as a cornerback or as a wide receiver?
“It will depend on the team that drafts him. I would tell him, and I’ve said this on television and written it in articles, I would look at the fact that Ja’Marr Chase is making $40 million a year, and I would say, ‘I want to play wide receiver.’ I would want to get paid at that position. But he’s wildly talented. If he were to say, ‘I’m going to do 20 snaps a receiver, 20 snaps a corner,’ I think he’d be great at both spots. He’s not the biggest guy. I think when you have a frame like his, you would rather try to avoid tackles instead of being asked to go make them.”
What’s the most correct you’ve been about a draft pick?
“I didn’t have the right grade on Patrick Mahomes, but my scouting report on Patrick Mahomes I’m very proud of because it said, if he gets some time, it will be dangerous. … (After the draft,) it was just effusive praise of, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going to get to sit behind Alex Smith. He has the tools to be the best quarterback in the NFL, given the structure that he’s going to be put into.”
What’s the most wrong you’ve been about a draft pick?
“Trent Richardson, without a doubt. I thought he was the next Jim Brown. I thought he was going to be the best running back in the NFL. He had that (950)-yard rushing season as a rookie, and I thought, ‘Oh, here we go. He’s going to take the NFL by storm.’ Then they trade him to the Colts, and you have Trent Richardson and Andrew Luck. I thought, ‘This is going to change the NFL forever.’ He just never showed the same talent that he had at Alabama or even his rookie year.”
What kind of influence has Mel Kiper Jr. had on your career?
“As soon as I got to ESPN, my first day there, he called me, and we spoke for about an hour, just him welcoming me to ESPN. We talked a lot about our backgrounds and our families. Our backgrounds are similar. I didn’t play college football. I barely played high school. But I loved football and the draft. I did everything I could to educate myself about it.
“My role on the actual desk at the draft is because of Mel, him telling (ESPN vice president and executive producer) Seth Markman, ‘Hey, it’s time to get Matt up here. He’s earned this. He’d be a great addition to our team.’ I’m there because Mel vouched for me, so I’m forever indebted to him. He knows how highly I think of him. He’s the best. He created this industry that I have loved my entire life. To work alongside him, I even have more respect for him now.”
When do you go to Green Bay?
“I’ll head up there Tuesday morning. I’ve never been, so I’m excited to see Lambeau Field as a huge football nerd, as someone who’s from a small town, to go somewhere that is a town with a football stadium in it. It’ll be one of those moments where I let myself be a fan a little bit.”