It was a proud moment for Greene County when Tyler Miller committed to Iowa State back in 2018. As many will remember, Miller was one of the finest athletes (and students!) we’ve seen pass through the school, and this commitment marked both the reward of endless hard work, and the beginning of a new journey.
As is common at top-level college football programs, that journey has been a somewhat slow one thus far. Between Covid-related disruptions and a redshirt season, Miller has yet to become a key cog on the Iowa State offensive line. As we head toward the 2022 college season however, our towering alumnus appears to be poised to play a far more significant role –– and maybe even establish himself as a future professional prospect.
High school pedigree – Because it’s been a few years now (hard to believe!) it’s worth recapping Tyler Miller’s spectacular high school pedigree when we look excitedly toward his future. Standing 6-foot-9 and 285 pounds before he ever reached a college weight room, Miller was ranked as the number 54 offensive tackle prospect in the country. He was receiving interest from the likes of Iowa, Michigan, and Notre Dame before committing to ISU (with other offers from Nebraska, Cincinnati, and Purdue among others). As an article at USA Today put it, Miller “oozed potential.”
Now, those are not the notes or credentials of a surefire NFL prospect. But they speak to the rising talent we all saw Tyler Miller to be, and express the potential that Iowa State and others saw in him as a young man wrapping up a glowing multi-sport high school career (lest we forget, Miller was a force on the basketball court as well!).
Iowa State’s NFL success – In addition to considering Miller’s pure pedigree, it’s worth noting that Iowa State has had a reasonably strong track record of producing NFL players of late as well. At the top of the list is veteran running back David Montgomery, who’s had an up-and-down career but has starred at times. In fact, some see him approaching a starring role again this coming season, with a Sports Illustrated piece recently having pointed out that recovery from a 2021 knee sprain should lead him back to full strength and “much better” production for the 2022 Bears.
Another one-time Cyclone poised to star this coming season is Allen Lazard –– who, following the departure of Davante Adams to Las Vegas, suddenly finds himself as Aaron Rodgers’s prospective top target. Rodgers is coming off an MVP campaign in 2021, and according to the NFL betting odds at Ladbrokes is currently at 11/1 to win the award again (with only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Justin Herbert boasting stronger odds). That’s the kind of confidence oddsmakers and pundits still have in Rodgers –– and if he’s going to live up to it, he’ll almost have to do so by relying heavily on Lazard.
Even beyond these two headline players though, Iowa State has plenty of talent in the NFL ranks. Fifteen Cyclones total are expected to be active on rosters to begin the season!
Getting his shot – Most important of all is that we aren’t simply speculating based on our own bias or expectations. All indications are that Tyler Miller is about to get the chance we all knew he’d earn when he committed to Iowa State to begin with. In a recent preseason interview, head coach Matt Campbell waxed poetic about Miller’s potential impact.
He stated that Miller came in with “tremendous raw ability,” and that the staff had been “enamored” with his athleticism and ability. Campbell also acknowledged that contributing on a college O-line takes time however –– and went on to state that Miller had expedited his own timeline. All of the language suggested that the ISU coaching staff sees Miller as an every-game contributor this season, if not a rising star among Big Ten offensive linesmen.
Of course there’s still a long way to go, and we’re already thrilled with what Miller has accomplished. But it now feels appropriate to dream of even bigger things ahead for an immensely talented young man.
