Christen Miller wasted little time making his presence felt for the New Orleans Saints, turning in an impressive performance in his NFL preseason debut. The Saints' second-round pick immediately showed why the team invested an early selection in him. Miller was extra effective against the run, making three defensive stops on only eight run-defense snaps.
For a young defensive lineman getting his first taste of preseason action, that kind of production stands out. Miller consistently made his snaps count and showed an ability to disrupt plays before they could fully develop. Those are great qualities.
More sports: Cowboys Rookie Already Making an Impact on Team His impact wasn't limited to stopping the run, either. Miller also generated a hurry on nine pass-rushing snaps, giving the Saints another reason to feel good about what they saw from their rookie. Overall, Miller finished his preseason debut with a 90.5 PFF grade, an impressive mark that reflected how much he accomplished in a relatively limited number of snaps.
He also earned the highest grade among rookie defensive linemen during the opening week of the preseason. The Saints will certainly want to see whether Miller can maintain that level of effectiveness as he gets more time. His combination of run defense and pass-rush ability gives him the chance to become an important piece of New Orleans' defensive front.
Sports news: Vikings Have 2 Rookies Absolutely Thriving in the Preseason For now, though, his first showing was exactly what the Saints could have hoped for from a second-round pick. Miller was active around the football and still managed to make an impact as a pass rusher. His debut also earned recognition from PFF's Gordon McGuinness, who included Miller among his players to watch following the first week of preseason action.
That's notable for a rookie who is just beginning his NFL career. Miller has more to prove before the regular season arrives, but his first preseason appearance provided a glimpse of what he might bring to New Orleans.
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