Lions' first-round pick Blake Miller talks ironman streak and opportunity to learn from Penei Sewell
Allen Park — Shortly after offensive tackle Blake Miller was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions Thursday night, he conducted a brief conference call with local media. Here’s a transcript of that conversation.
Q: Why did it mean so much to you to play every single snap while at Clemson?
Miller: “Well, I mean, to me, at the end of the day, if I’m able to play, whether it’s through injury or whether I’m blessed enough to be completely healthy, I think I owe it to my teammates to be on the field. There are so many people in any organization that put in so much work, not only just your teammates, but also staff, support staff, people behind the scenes. I owe it to them to really be available and to pay it forward to them.”
Q: Tell us about where you’re celebrating tonight?
Miller: “Yeah, I’m back in my hometown with my family in Strongsville, Ohio. I just tried to keep it relatively small. You know, close family, agent, girlfriend, her family. Yeah, it’s awesome.”
Q: What kind of contact did you have with Detroit through the draft process and how do you view your fit into the team’s culture?
Miller: “Yeah, I got to meet with them in the pre-draft process and go over some schemes, some X’s and O’s, stuff. Got to do some interviews with them. I really just love the culture of this organization. I really feel -- I love the grit, love the toughness that’s emphasized, just kind of outside looking in. And, you know, I really want to uphold that standard.”
Q: How do you see yourself contributing early?
Miller: “For me, my goal is just to come in and work as hard as I humanly can to be the best player I can humanly be. At the end of the day, however the cards fall from there, I can live with. I want to make sure that I, every day, come in, put my best foot forward, whether that’s working out, whether that’s on the field, whether that’s in the film room. I want to make sure I do absolutely everything I can to be the best player I can be. Wherever I’m needed, I’m more than happy to fill in from there.”
Q: How did your time at Clemson shape you as a player and a person?
Miller: “Yeah, I’d say that, as a player, the culture Coach Sweeney has I can’t say enough good things about. As a player, he really emphasized finishing, finishing blocks, getting to the ball, making sure you’re getting down the field. Like, you never saw anyone walking around the field. Those were things that were very emphasized to us. Physicality, obviously, (offensive line) coach (Matt) Luke emphasized that one a lot. Aggression, being the toughest team on the field. Those (things) were really emphasized to me.
“I felt like, too, as a person, just generally being a good human being. Making sure that you’re doing all the things that you need to, not just on the football field and in the film room, but also off the field and engaging with the community and just, in general, being the best person you can be.”
Q: How much are you looking forward to playing with and learning from Penei Sewell?
Miller: “Oh, I can’t wait. I’ve watched a lot of his tape throughout my time in college, and there’s so much stuff that he does incredibly well. His ability to move, get out in space, his ability to pass protect, use his hands effectively, how light he is on his feet, all those things are remarkable. Just to be able to sit in the same room as him, be on the same field as him and pick his brain, and go over things with him and get his perspectives on things, you know, I can’t wait.”
Q: What drew you to playing offensive line?
Miller: “Yeah, for me, I really appreciate that it’s a very technical position. I’m a person who -- I really want to make sure that my technique is nailed down and I’m able to really just get better every day and really have a focus every day when you go out to practice with certain things you want to get better. And there’s a lot of nuance to it and I like that a lot. Then, overarching, kind of the biggest reason is you get to go out there and you get to take someone’s will every play. You get to go put someone on the ground, and you want to see them, at the end of the game, you want to see them looking for the sideline.”
Q: When was the last time you missed a game, at any level?
Miller: “I honestly don’t know that I’ve missed a game. Definitely not in high school or college. I don’t think in middle school, either.
Q: What does that streak mean to you?
Miller: “I mean, that’s big for me. Kind of like I talked about earlier, if I’m in a state where I feel like I can get on that field and give my team a shot to win, I want to be there. I want to do everything I humanly can. If I’m healthy, and God looks after me, and I’m healthy for a game, I owe it to my teammates to be out there. But if I don’t feel good, I’m going to do everything that I can do to get in the best shape possible to put the best version of myself out there on the field.”
Q: What was your favorite play or moment from your college career?
Miller: “I’d say favorite moment would probably be Pittsburgh in my junior year. It was a game where our left tackle had gotten hurt. First play of the game, I had to switch over to left. Our right guard, who I was very close with, had to bump out to right tackle. And it was kind of a very back and forth game. And there was a lot of grit shown by our defense, shown by our offense, and we ended up winning the game. Just looking, after the game, celebrating on the field with everyone, looking at our guard who had to play tackle that game and just saying, ‘Man, we did it,’ and giving him a big hug. It’s moments like that that I really, you know, I cherish those. All right.”
In addition to Miller’s conference call, Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney and offensive line coach Matt Luke passed along comments following Miller’s selection.
DABO SWINNEY: “Blake Miller is one of one. I’ve never really had one like him. On the offensive line, I’ve had second-rounders, third-rounders, fourth-rounders, every round you can think, but he’s my first first-round offensive lineman, and, boy, is he worthy. He is big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s a leader, and he’s one of the most committed guys I’ve ever coached. He’s a finisher. He was a captain for us. This guy started every game of his entire career from being a true freshman all the way through his senior year. He only missed two practices in his whole career, never missed a game. So, man, I think he’s got day one ability. I think he walks in and he helps their football team the day he gets there.”
MATT LUKE: “They’re getting a true professional in every sense. He consistently takes care of his business from his physical preparation and nutrition to his approach to the game. His durability and commitment are unmatched, having played in 54 consecutive games without missing one, and missing only two practices over four years. Blake is an exceptional person and an outstanding player, making him a very low-risk addition. He will be a leader both in the locker room and in the community. He’s an all-around high-character individual and competitor.”
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