In 2017, Tyron Smith’s back cost the Cowboys games. The superstar left tackle’s injury affected the running game, the pass protection, and the confidence of the second-year quarterback. The Cowboys have made a few strides to prepare themselves for another worst-case scenario situation with their all-pro left tackle. The signing of Patriots tackle Cameron Fleming either serves as a placeholder at right tackle while the Cowboys move La’el Collins back to left guard, or (more likely) an opportunity to draft a guard and make Fleming the swing tackle behind Smith and Collins. It’s not a decision the Cowboys have to make until after the draft. They’ve allowed themselves all kinds of flexibility, not only on the offensive line but across all aspects of the roster. That makes the list of players who have visited their facility very intriguing.
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Today, I’ll profile two more players on that list: UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller and West Georgia offensive tackle Desmond Harrison.
Kolton Miller, OT – UCLA
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 309
40 Time: 4.95
Arm Length: 34”
In Dane Brugler’s 2018 NFL Draft Guide, he notes that “Josh Rosen suffered two concussions in 2017, both due to inconsistent play by his left tackle.” That left tackle is Kolton Miller.
Miller started all 13 games of his junior year at UCLA protecting Josh Rosen’s blindside. When you watch Miller play the first thing that jumps out at you is his height. Despite how tall he is, Miller only has an average wingspan due to shorter arms than you’d expect.
In my opinion, the best tackle in this draft is Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey – another 6’8 man with 34″ arms. They’re practically the same size; in fact, Miller is a few fractions of an inch taller.
As you can see here, Miller is quite the athlete. He had some great scores at the combine.
Miller reminds me a lot of Jason Spriggs, the Indiana tackle who was picked 48th overall by the Patriots back in 2016.
My biggest issue with Miller is that he tends to struggle against speed rushers. Watch here in this clip against Stanford, where the defensive end blows right past him.
I understand that the end is split out wide – extremely wide. But Miller just didn’t move his feet. Go back and watch again. In order to cut off the edge, he needs an effective first step. Instead, you’ll notice that his first movement is locking up and hunkering over, rather than stepping back and getting into position to protect the quarterback.
Another thing I worry about with Miller is his inability to stay low and maintain leverage. Obviously, he can’t help the fact that he’s 6’8 – his height will make gaining leverage difficult. But it’s something at which he must improve. Watch this next clip from his game against Colorado; Miller wins at first but ends up losing the battle because he gets top-heavy and loses his balance, allowing the pass-rusher to have a run at the quarterback.
Another frustrating thing about Kolton Miller is he goes back and forth between showing off his potential and making you wonder what’s wrong with him. He’s incredibly inconsistent and appears to be a long-term project. Here’s an example of the good. In this clip against Kansas State, he’s quick into his set with a nice slide step and walls off the edge, allowing a clean pocket.
Sure, it was a 3-step drop, so he didn’t have to protect for long. But the point is that he was in great position and played with good technique on that specific snap. Sometimes you see it with Miller and sometimes you don’t, and that’s one of the more infuriating things about this prospect.
STRENGTHS
- SIZE: At 6’8, 309 pounds, Miller has ideal measurements.
- AGILITY: Miller flashes an ability to get to the second level, and looks comfortable when operating out in the open.
- POSITION FLEX: Miller can play both left and right tackle, and could probably play guard if needed.
WEAKNESSES
- PAD LEVEL: Miller can’t help being tall, but he needs to play lower in the run game. Too often he’s not able to drive his opponent out of the play to create space because he doesn’t have the necessary leverage needed to win.
- SPEED RUSH: Time and time again, Miller struggled against quick pass-rushers.
- PUNCH: Miller is still leaning how to effectively use his hands.
- FEET: He does not do a good job of running his feet through the block, leading to a lack of effectiveness in sustaining blocks.
- DEMEANOR: I wrote in my notes when watching Miller that he’s a timid player. I just didn’t see enough violence.
OVERALL
I have a fourth-round grade on Miller, but I’m much lower on him than most analysts. Miller will be drafted late in rounds one or two because of measurables. Maybe it’s just my personal preference, but I really look for how physical and nasty an offensive lineman is. For example, Tyron Smith is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting, but he plays with a certain distinguishable form of physicality that doesn’t necessarily reflect his everyday character. In my grading, I docked Miller points for not appearing to possess that killer instinct.
I see Miller as a major work in progress who will get over-drafted because of how he looks rather than how he plays.
Desmond Harrison, OT – West Georgia
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 292
40 Time: 4.90
Arm Length: 34”
The Cowboys are flying in Desmond Harrison not only to see if he’s a player worth considering but also to see what kind of a person he is. The Desmond Harrison story is a long and winding road that features its share of diversions.
Whether it’s fair or not, Harrison was a victim of the first edition of the new Charlie Strong rules at Texas. Harrison went to Texas after a couple of years at Contra Costa Community College in California. He attended community college because his grades weren’t good enough to play for Auburn.
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Brugler’s draft guide notes that Harrison “couldn’t find the field at Texas due to multiple failed drug tests, and a pattern of lazy decisions according to someone close to the situation.”
He didn’t play in 2015 and 2016, but he did have one year of eligibility left on his ledger – which he used in Division II at West Georgia. That’s right, the West Georgia Wolves of the Gulf South Conference.
D2 football really complicates the evaluation process. You can see a player’s traits, but you can’t gauge his skills properly due to the level of competition. For example, there’s a prospect named Nathan Shepherd who played at Fort Hays State. I got much more out of his senior bowl tape than I did his collegiate snaps.
Sidenote: There is a certain appeal in watching D2 players; it’s the only college tape you’ll watch where a bounce house can appear in the back of the end zone. I swear, a few years ago I scouted a player and spotted a clown on the sideline in the All-22 tape. Unreal.
So why are the Cowboys bringing Harrison in for a visit? I’d argue it’s not that different than selecting a basketball player (Rico Gathers) in the draft. The answer is value. A lot of teams won’t consider Harrison, and the Cowboys might not either after meeting with him, but he has enough raw talent to at least consider taking a late-round shot on.
He’s a long-term project and is already 24, so even under favorable circumstances, he may still not contribute until the second half of his twenties. There are red flags galore, but I understand why they are bringing Harrison in. If they can sense some maturity, at least that’s something to work with. Maybe he’s worth a late-round draft pick.
Personally, I’ll always be leery of a player who missed two years of action before finding his footing at West Georgia, but so will the rest of the league. There’s no shame in looking into him.
Let’s get to the scouting report. The tape that I watched on Harrison isn’t publicly available, so I won’t be able to provide gifs as his YouTube presence is minimal.
STRENGTHS
- EXTENSION: One of the best things Harrison does is extend and grab, keeping control of the pass-rusher.
- FEET: He’s a good athlete, and can recover when he gets beat thanks to his quick footwork.
- ATHLETIC BACKGROUND: The athletic ability is there. That explains how he was able to miss two years of football, then show up and play well in Division II. It explains why major schools like Texas and Auburn had interest in him.
WEAKNESSES
- OFF THE FIELD: He has a long track record of mistakes and negative habitual patterns that will keep him off many teams’ draft boards.
- CONSISTENCY: Harrison runs hot and cold. Sometimes he’s lackadaisical when getting into his pass-rush set, causing him to get beat just because he wasn’t ready to go.
- PASS BLOCKING: Harrison is a better run-blocker than pass-blocker at this stage of his career. He shows his aggression when clearing lanes, but when pass-blocking, he sometimes stays too high and loses leverage off the edge, getting top-heavy during the attempted block.
OVERALL
I have a 5th round grade on Desmond Harrison. He’s a wildcard and a long-term project. The Cowboys bringing him in for an official visit is probably more about getting to know the person than anything else.
