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Chicago Bears Combine Watch: Kolton Miller breaks records with stellar workout

By Ryan Heckman

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: UCLA offensive lineman Kolton Miller speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: UCLA offensive lineman Kolton Miller speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The 2018 NFL will Combine propel many prospects up in their respective position rankings. One offensive lineman may have taken a leap up the Chicago Bears’ draft board overall.

The Chicago Bears have had a fantastic offseason thus far, in large thanks to general manager Ryan Pace. The Bears have already seen a few veterans leave the team due to cap cuts in recent weeks, and Pace appears to be on an aggressive mission to improve this team in a hurry.

One of the areas the Bears will look to revamp in the coming days is their offensive line. Already, they have released guard Josh Sitton in a move to clear additional cap space. The line holds quite a bit of flexibility for head coach Matt Nagy, which is a nice advantage heading into free agency and the draft.

Both Kyle Long and Cody Whitehair have experience playing multiple positions on the line, giving Nagy a lot of room to work with in terms of drafting the best players available in April. One guy that is likely on Pace’s radar is UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller.

During his combine workout, Miller turned quite a few heads with how well-rounded he was. His standout moment was the broad jump.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/969603218874384385

Whether or not the rest of his workout went well, setting a combine record had to cement his name on every single team’s board as one to watch. Fortunately for Miller, his entire workout was quite impressive.

At 6’9″ and 310 pounds, the word “speed” wouldn’t necessarily be the first word to pop into your head. I would think words like “power” and “strength” might jump to the forefront of your thoughts.

Don’t worry, Miller is plenty strong. But, check out his 40-yard dash.

A 4.91 40-yard dash will certainly turn some heads, especially when you pair it with an NFL Combine record in the broad jump. Miller would later display some impressive footwork and lateral movement in separate drills, giving teams a reason not to believe some of the weaknesses written about him in draft profiles.

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The good news is, Miller absolutely looks like a day one starter at the tackle position and could come in right away and give the Bears improved protection for Mitchell Trubisky. The bad news, though, is that he may have jumped way too high up on draft boards for the Bears to consider taking him early.

Chicago holds the eighth overall pick and Pace may end up trading back if there are some guys he likes that would potentially come off the board later in the first round. Will Miller boost himself up into day one consideration? I am not sure, but it’s not out of the question.

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Be on the lookout for additional hype around Miller and the Bears, especially if they fill other needs via free agency, giving them a bit more clarity with their draft needs. Miller would certainly be a welcome addition to the offensive line in Chicago.

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