One of the biggest impact players for Georgia this season is defensive lineman Christen Miller. Miller projects to be one of the top defenders for Georgia this season, and UGA needs him to have a great season if they are going to have a successful year.
After redshirting during the 2022 season, Miller is now entering the 2025 season with a lot of expectations. Those expectations are even extending to the 2026 NFL Draft where CBS Sports Draft expert Mike Renner recently named him the No. 2 defensive lineman for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
“There is a steep drop-off in the defensive tackle class after Peter Woods. While Christen Miller is next in line, I wouldn't even put him close to the first-round conversation yet,” Renner shared via cbssports.com. “He's got an ideal frame to be a two-gap run defender at the next level with long limbs and great short-area quicks for his size that make it easy for him to finish plays.He had a mini breakout last season as a redshirt sophomore during which he racked up 16 run stops and 19 pressures on 385 snaps. With Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson both off to the NFL, expect a much larger role from Miller this fall.”
Christen Miller needs to validate his NFL Draft ranking
While it is nice to see Miller ranked so high for the 2026 NFL Draft, he has a lot of work to do to prove that ranking is accurate. 2025 will be his third college season seeing the field, and so far he is yet to put up any big numbes.
Miller only recorded 14 tackles during the 2023 season before tallying 27 tackles and 1.5 sacks last season. Those are solid totals based on the amount of snaps he received, but he is going to have to do much better this year if he wants to be the second defensive lineman taken in the 2026 Draft.
The good news for Miller is that he will have ample opportunities this season to have a much better statistical year and prove Renner right. And if he is able to accomplish that then Georgia will have a much better chance at having a great season this year.