Is Kolton Miller Primed for a Career Season?
When Kolton Miller was selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, it was met with mixed reactions.
Since then, Miller has established himself as the Las Vegas Raiders’ franchise left tackle. The 6-9, 328-pound lineman out of UCLA has steadily improved each season since joining the Silver and Black, and has been rewarded with a massive contract extension.
Miller has started 79 career games with the Raiders, and always is adding something new to his game to improve as a player.
After what was arguably the best season of his career in 2022, Miller might be in line to top that performance in 2023.
Something that will play into Miller’s favor is the fact that he is the elder statesman along the offensive line. The longest-tenured Raider in that room, Miller’s experience as a Raider allows him to set the tone for the rest of the unit, especially for the young linemen.
Coach Josh McDaniels has always coached excellent offensive line units, and has implemented his scheme with this Raiders unit. They responded well to it, finishing last season as a top-10 unit in the NFL.
Miller excels at pass blocking, which the Raiders’ offensive line was not very good at in 2022. The Raiders will need him to continue to set the tone as a pass blocker and hope the rest of the line can follow suit, as protecting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo should be in high priority.
Miller could still stand to improve as a run blocker, because his Pro Football Focus grades in that department are not up to the level of his pass blocking grades. Fortunately for Miller, McDaniels’ offensive lines have always been great at run blocking, so Miller has a great chance to improve in that area.
The Raiders’ offensive line is looking to build off an impressive 2022 season, and it all starts on the left side with Miller.
In order for Miller to have his best season yet, he will need to improve his run blocking and set the tone for the rest of his offensive line, growing into a leader. If he can do those things, the Raiders could have one of the best offensive line units in the league.
The Silver and Black return to preseason action when they play the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 9 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. PDT.
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