» MILLER UNCARING ABOUT DRAFT BACKLASH
ALAMEDA — Kolton Miller isn’t active on social media, which helped shield some of the criticism Thursday night after the Raiders drafted him 15th overall.
He even denounced the fake Kolton Miller, who retweeted congratulations from Raiders teammates and drew headlines during the first round for controversial past tweets.
The Kolton Miller sitting in between Jon Gruden and Reggie McKenzie Friday afternoon, though, is a soft-spoken giant who’s zoning out the critique as he prepares for a significant role in Year 1 with Oakland.
“I don’t really pay too much attention. I think that’s more of a distraction than anything,” Miller said at his Raiders introduction. “I look at what I can do each day to better myself and stick to those things because I think it really helps ... Just looking to compete, wherever I’m put at, and establish myself as a starter.”
Most fans were unhappy with Oakland trading down from No. 10 to No. 15 and selecting Miller, the former UCLA offensive tackle. The Raiders could’ve grabbed a defensive playmaker in Florida State safety Derwin James or Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, but instead opted for an offensive tackle that probably wasn’t their first option at the position after Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey went No. 9 to the 49ers.
Miller didn’t have the best start to his 2017 season with the Bruins, but Friday took pride in how he’s taken an upward trajectory since.
“Switching from the 2016 season from right tackle, I started the 2017 season, I didn’t start where I wanted to,” Miller said. “There were some technique issues that I cleaned up on. I think I progressed through the season. If you see where I started and where I finished you’d see a lot of improvement. It didn’t only stop there. I improved through the off-season. I’m still improving and I’m just super stoked for the opportunity.”
Miller won’t have a shortage of All-Pro experience to learn under, from Donald Penn to Kelechi Osemele to Rodney Hudson to Gabe Jackson. While there are some menacing defensive fronts in the division, Miller awaits the opportunity to prove himself even if the fanbase doubts the pick at first glance.
The Chargers boast Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, the Broncos Von Miller and now Bradley Chubb, the Chiefs Justin Houston and Dee Ford. Blocking in those six games next season, if anything, will be no easy task.
“I love the competition. I think it’s a great opportunity, being at this level. Once you’re a tackle, you kind of know you’re part of a club. You’re striving to be the best tackle in the world playing against the best and I’m really looking forward to it.
“I want to be a sponge to say the least. I want to soak in as much information as I can from them, ask a lot of questions and I really want to establish that bond between us. I think that will be really important in the future and huge for my development. I hope to maximize that.
Not long after Oakland picked last night, Penn tweeted “MORE MOTIVATION.” He’s since deleted the tweet. Maybe it was about feeling challenged by the staff after they picked an offensive tackle, maybe it was about losing to his wife in Wii Golf and gaining motivation to win next time.
Either way, you can pencil Miller in to start at right tackle, but keep that eraser around just in case Penn’s foot injury takes a turn for the worst or the staff isn’t satisfied with his play. Gruden did say, for what it’s worth, that the pick had nothing to do with his current left tackle.
“Donald Penn is still on our football team and he’s still rehabbing his foot injury. Donald has been a very good player for the Raiders, a guy that I coached in Tampa, know extremely well. This has nothing to do with Donald Penn,” Jon Gruden said. “This is about the future of the Oakland Raiders. We have an outstanding young quarterback. We have a need at the position and we were fortunate to address it, but it doesn’t really say anything to Donald Penn.”
Gruden kept the focus on Miller, lauding his talents but advising him to proceed with caution in the AFC West.
“He’s got a huge upside at a position that’s very hard to find, and in the AFC West right now, the people that you have to block, Kolton, I hate to break it to you, but they’re pretty good,” Gruden said. “He’s got versatility to play right tackle, he can play left tackle. He’s got the right stuff inside and he’s going to be a huge part of our future. And he’s playing a position that like I said, is very hard to find these days.”
Raiders draft Sam Houston State DT P.J. Hall in second round
ALAMEDA — The Raiders selected Sam Houston State defensive tackle P.J. Hall with the 57th overall pick in the NFL draft on Friday night.
Oakland traded pick No. 41 to the Titans for Nos. 57 and 89, upping its Day 2 total from a pair of picks to three and using the first one on the FCS D-lineman.
Hall fills an area of need, as the Raiders only had Justin Ellis as a likely starting defensive tackle after re-signing him to a three-year deal this offseason. Second-year defensive tackles Eddie Vanderdoes and Treyvon Hester will also factor into the mix at the position after ending last season prematurely due to injuries. Denico Autry signed with the Colts in free agency, and he was probably Oakland’s best defensive tackle last season.