Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller has been one of the bright highlights in practices at the Senior Bowl this week. Miller was originally a quarterback for the Buckeyes and saw a ton of success behind center before making the switch to wide receiver his senior season.
The New England Patriots are interested in the Buckeyes' wide receiver and view him as a second round draft pick, according to Draft Insider Tony Pauline. Miller left practice on Thursday with a right calf cramp but is expected to play in Saturday's Senior Bowl, according to Chase Goodbread of College Football 24/7.
Miller has been displaying his speed and separation ability during practice this week and was torching defensive backs in red zone drills during Thursday's practice. The Patriots currently have one of the better receiving cores in the NFL with tight end Rob Gronkowksi and wide receiver Julian Edelman, but saw first hand the importance of depth at the position this year.
The Patriots could be looking for a solid number two wide receiver, as Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola has struggled to consistently stay healthy over his career. Amendola became indispensable after Edelman's injury this season, but has a $6.87 million cap hit in 2016 and the team could save $4.13 million if they choose to release him, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Wide receiver Brandon LaFell could also be let go after a disappointing 2015 season, and it's not out of the question to think the Patriots could use a second round pick on a wide receiver and look to save some cap space by releasing veterans.
It's unknown how long Miller will remain on the board in the 2016 NFL Draft, but his draft stock is clearly rising as teams are taking interest in the Buckeyes' wide receiver.
