Chicago Bears: Get hyped watching Anthony Miller’s top plays

Elite competition, elite footwork

Miller went up against a future foe that he will see twice each year. In addition, his footwork is what sets him apart from other guys in his draft class.

Playing for a school like Memphis, at times he didn’t face top-tier competition. However, in the game above, Miller made a fool of recent Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Mike Hughes out of UCF. How fitting that one of Miller’s best plays as a college prospect would come against a future foe he would square off against twice a year.

For many guys, lack of competition in college is a large part of their draft grades. Look no further than Miller’s athleticism and awareness going up over a first-round pick, and that argument is nullified immediately.

One of the things that stands out about Miller, especially when you listen to coach Nagy speak of him, is his understanding of how to get open on various routes. His footwork is fantastic. One of the knocks coming out of Memphis was that he “plays quicker than he does fast.” Well, if quick feet allow him to shake a defensive back like that, I’m fine with that assessment.

Miller is going to go up against some pretty good defensive backs in the NFC North. Depending on the play and where he lines up, he’ll be facing the likes of Xavier Rhodes, Darius Slay, Josh Jackson and Jaire Alexander. Don’t forget about Hughes — although we already know he can handle himself there. Footwork will be key in beating these guys, and he has it.