After the Detroit Lions chose offensive tackle Blake Miller at No. 17 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, head coach Dan Campbell gave his first thoughts on the first-round selection and how the former Clemson offensive tackle can be an immediate impact on the team next season.
"Man, he's played a lot of football. He's solid, he's steady, man. He can do it all. He plays physical in the run game. Freaking smart. Tough, edgy, got length, moves well. We just feel like this is a guy who can come in and compete and help us with the O-line," Campbell said in an interview with Fox 2 Detroit's Dan Miller.
WATCH - @Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to @DanMillerFox2 about the team's 1st round pick, offensive tackle @BlakeMillerOT pic.twitter.com/OJc3qAlFR4
Campbell was asked how Miller's 54 starts in his collegiate career may have helped the Lions' scouting process.
"It's important, and it really resonated with us. You know, we had a lot of love for the guy, and then there was a lot of kind of top-tier tackles in here. And when you start watching, man, just the closer we get to the draft, I mean, his consistency and what he was able to do, man, the steadiness that he provided.
"And it was just, man, good production week in, week out. For not just one year, multiple years. So we like this guy, and we think he's got upside. He's got a high floor, and we see a ceiling too that he can get to," Campbell said.
When asked how he felt about Miller's intangibles in the pre-draft scouting process, the Lions' head coach lauded his physicality and versatility in both pass and run protection.
"I love the way he plays the game. There's a way that he prepares, there's a way that he trains to get ready, all those things... but really, when you turn on the tape, he's a physical finisher, man. That's what he does. And he's got versatility, obviously, pass pro and run game. So we just felt like he was a really good fit for us," Campbell said of Miller.
With the Lions securing their top priority in the 2026 NFL Draft in the first round, the focus now shifts to how the franchise will address other key positions during Day 2 and Day 3 of the annual league event tomorrow and Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions' Dan Campbell shares first thoughts on new OT Blake Miller