Name: Kendre Miller

School: Texas Christian

Year: Jr

Position: Running Back

Measurables: 6’0”, 220

Stats:

Courtesy of Sports-Reference.com

General Info:

Kendre Miller attended Mount Enterprise High School in Mount Enterprise, Texas. As a senior, he amassed 2,508 yards and 34 touchdowns as a quarterback. In addition to his success on the gridiron, Miller was also a track and field star. He was a three-star recruit and chose a collegiate career as a TCU Horned Frog over other opportunities at UTSA, Wyoming, and Southern Mississippi.

As a freshman and sophomore at TCU, Miller shared the backfield with the likes of Zach Evans, but still managed to average well over 7 yards per carry in his first two seasons at TCU. His opportunities were limited, but the flashes were certainly there.

With Evans transferring to Ole Miss prior to the 2022 season, Miller found himself with the chance to be the bell cow for the Frogs in his junior year. Kendre took full advantage of the opportunity and amassed 1399 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the season. He maintained a 6.2 yards per carry average while toting the ball 224 times. He also added 16 receptions for 116 yards.

Miller’s consistent production was a big reason TCU found themselves playing for a national championship in 2022. Unfortunately, he injured his knee early in the semi-final game against Michigan and was unable to return or play the following week in the national championship against Georgia.

Positional Skills:

Strengths

Kendre Miller is an incredibly instinctive running back who possesses remarkable vision and patience. He takes his time behind the line, waiting for his blocks, and then punches the gas when he sees daylight. I love his willingness to run between the tackles. He doesn’t immediately look to bounce outside. However, when the blocking isn’t there, he frequently demonstrates the instincts and high level vision to bounce out into space and make a big play. His ability to create more than what is blocked for him is special.

Miller runs with a determined spirit and seems absolutely set on not being denied extra yardage. There are multiple instances where he loses his balance and uses his hand to keep himself from falling to the ground, which allows him to finish the play falling forward, gaining an extra 2 or 3 yards. There are plenty of plays where he certainly should be tackled, but simply refuses to go down. Sometimes he breaks tackles with power and balance, but he also forces missed tackles with slippery feet. It’s almost surprising if he gets brought down by the first defender he encounters.

While he runs with good determination and contact balance, Miller is also someone who has plenty of speed to make the big play. He has several long runs on his resume, including 3 house calls of 33, 45, and 75 yards in one game against Texas Tech as a sophomore. Although it may not be in an elite category, Miller has enough burst and acceleration to turn heads (and ankles) as well. The TCU back can get you the tough yards, but he also has the speed and explosiveness to take it the distance on every play.

Kendre was not used extensively as a receiver at TCU, but he has plenty of impressive catches on his resume that suggest that is not a limitation to his game. I would expect him to be a very effective receiving weapon out of the backfield in the NFL.

Miller put together an impressive 2022 season, but his best football is likely ahead of him. He’ll be just 20 years old when he is drafted in April.

Weaknesses

Miller’s well-rounded profile will make him an attractive prospect to many NFL teams, but the athletic testing is going to be tremendously important for him. The tape suggests that he has more than adequate speed, above average acceleration, and the strength needed to thrive in the NFL. However, Kendre is more smooth than he is twitched up. Teams will be looking to see how he tests in drills that measure explosiveness and agility at the combine. With good athletic testing, Miller could hear his name called on day 2 of the draft. If the numbers suggest that he’s a limited athlete, he’s probably a day 3 prospect.

In addition to his athletic testing, Miller’s measurables will be fascinating. He’s listed at 6’, 220lbs., but I have doubts that he’s quite that tall or that thick. Teams will be more lenient on his athletic testing if he really carries 220 pounds. However, if he’s smaller than advertised, he needs to have more juice. 

Kendre is a willing blocker. He’s certainly not afraid to take on linebackers and safeties, but there is certainly room for him to grow in his technique and his consistency in pass protection.

Fit with the Packers:

The Packers are in an interesting place with their running backs. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon make a great tandem, but Jones is aging and carries an expensive contract. Dillon is only 25 years old, but he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Even with Jones and Dillon in the fold for 2023, it makes sense that Green Bay may want to add a ball carrier for the future.

It’s probably unfair to say that Kendre Miller is the next Aaron Jones. Miller is a bigger back and probably doesn’t quite have the same speed to the edge. However, the contact balance, the propensity to always fall forward, and the ability to take it the distance on any play reminds me of players like Aaron Jones or Kareem Hunt.

A player with Miller’s traits, combined with his age, could certainly tempt the Packers to take a swing on him and his upside in this April’s NFL Draft.