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Ventrell Miller certainly had NFL skills coming out of college, but many draft analysts were concerned with his size and durability.
At 5-foot-11¾ and 232 pounds, he was in just the sixth percentile (height) and 22nd percentile (weight) in those categories, and he had suffered through biceps, hamstring and multiple foot injuries.
Still, the Jacksonville Jaguars saw enough promise to select him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Heading into the 2026 season, Miller has a chance to make a noticeable impact as he’s expected to replace the linebacker spot vacated by Devin Lloyd, who left for Carolina in free agency during the offseason.
Here are five things to know about Miller:
Miller is a graduate of Kathleen High School in Lakeland. Kathleen has a laundry list of players who have gone on to NFL careers, none more famous than two-time Super Bowl champion, Ray Lewis.
Lewis and Miller are two of three linebackers from the school to make it to the NFL, along with Albert McClennan.
McClennan and Lewis were teammates for the Ravens’ Super Bowl 47 title season of 2012. Miller is hoping he’ll soon get his first title with the Jaguars.
During Miller’s first season, he and multiple teammates were part of a fraud scheme that saw him suspended for the entire 2017 season.
He returned in 2018 and appeared in all 13 games, recording 15 tackles, one sack and one interception that he returned 82 yards for a touchdown.
Miller started 11 of 12 games in 2019 and finished with 55 tackles and three sacks.
During his junior year in 2020, Miller started 10 games, tallying 88 total tackles while recording 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Miller’s 2021 season was cut short after he suffered a torn biceps tendon in Week 2 against South Florida. Because he played in fewer than 30 percent of the team's games, he was granted a medical redshirt, allowing him to return for another season.
During his final college season, Miller appeared in nine games while playing through a broken foot. He was the Gators' best defensive player, recording 74 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and earning semifinalist honors for the Comeback Player of the Year.
Miller was the fourth player selected by the Jaguars, with the 121st pick in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
Selected ahead of him were Anton Harrison and Brenton Strange, both of whom recently received contract extension with the Jaguars, and Tank Bigsby, who was shipped to Philadelphia last year.
Two players selected after Miller — Antonio Johnson and Parker Washington — are also in line to receive healthy offers after 2026 as they are both in the final year of their rookie deals, as well.
Miller ruptured his right Achilles tendon during his rookie preseason, forcing him to miss the entire 2023 season.
He suffered the injury during the team's preseason victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Miller returned for the 2024 season, playing in 15 games, starting nine. He played in all 17 games in 2025 but started only two as Devin Lloyd had a breakout season. He collected his first professional interception on Dec. 14, 2025, against the New York Jets, picking off quarterback Brady Cook.
Miller is slotted in as the starting weakside linebacker heading into the 2026 season. This is his chance to prove himself as an NFL starter as well as helping him earn his second NFL contract.
Miller is in the final year of a four-year, $4,576,936 rookie contract.
His predecessor, Devin Lloyd, signed a three-year, $45 million free agent contract with Carolina after a season where he had five interceptions. Miller would love to ink something comparable after the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Ventrell Miller comes from a Florida HS linebacker factory
Continue reading...
At 5-foot-11¾ and 232 pounds, he was in just the sixth percentile (height) and 22nd percentile (weight) in those categories, and he had suffered through biceps, hamstring and multiple foot injuries.
Still, the Jacksonville Jaguars saw enough promise to select him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Heading into the 2026 season, Miller has a chance to make a noticeable impact as he’s expected to replace the linebacker spot vacated by Devin Lloyd, who left for Carolina in free agency during the offseason.
Here are five things to know about Miller:
Ventrell Miller’s high school is known for NFL linebackers
Miller is a graduate of Kathleen High School in Lakeland. Kathleen has a laundry list of players who have gone on to NFL careers, none more famous than two-time Super Bowl champion, Ray Lewis.
Lewis and Miller are two of three linebackers from the school to make it to the NFL, along with Albert McClennan.
McClennan and Lewis were teammates for the Ravens’ Super Bowl 47 title season of 2012. Miller is hoping he’ll soon get his first title with the Jaguars.
Ventrell Miller’s career at Florida started off rocky
During Miller’s first season, he and multiple teammates were part of a fraud scheme that saw him suspended for the entire 2017 season.
He returned in 2018 and appeared in all 13 games, recording 15 tackles, one sack and one interception that he returned 82 yards for a touchdown.
Miller started 11 of 12 games in 2019 and finished with 55 tackles and three sacks.
During his junior year in 2020, Miller started 10 games, tallying 88 total tackles while recording 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Miller’s 2021 season was cut short after he suffered a torn biceps tendon in Week 2 against South Florida. Because he played in fewer than 30 percent of the team's games, he was granted a medical redshirt, allowing him to return for another season.
During his final college season, Miller appeared in nine games while playing through a broken foot. He was the Gators' best defensive player, recording 74 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and earning semifinalist honors for the Comeback Player of the Year.
Ventrell Miller was in a class of 13 Jaguars draft picks
Miller was the fourth player selected by the Jaguars, with the 121st pick in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
Selected ahead of him were Anton Harrison and Brenton Strange, both of whom recently received contract extension with the Jaguars, and Tank Bigsby, who was shipped to Philadelphia last year.
Two players selected after Miller — Antonio Johnson and Parker Washington — are also in line to receive healthy offers after 2026 as they are both in the final year of their rookie deals, as well.
Ventrell Miller’s NFL career started off rocky
Miller ruptured his right Achilles tendon during his rookie preseason, forcing him to miss the entire 2023 season.
He suffered the injury during the team's preseason victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Miller returned for the 2024 season, playing in 15 games, starting nine. He played in all 17 games in 2025 but started only two as Devin Lloyd had a breakout season. He collected his first professional interception on Dec. 14, 2025, against the New York Jets, picking off quarterback Brady Cook.
Ventrell Miller must prove himself in 2026
Miller is slotted in as the starting weakside linebacker heading into the 2026 season. This is his chance to prove himself as an NFL starter as well as helping him earn his second NFL contract.
Miller is in the final year of a four-year, $4,576,936 rookie contract.
His predecessor, Devin Lloyd, signed a three-year, $45 million free agent contract with Carolina after a season where he had five interceptions. Miller would love to ink something comparable after the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Ventrell Miller comes from a Florida HS linebacker factory
Continue reading...
