NFL Draft 2012: Interview With Miami RB Lamar Miller

Miami Hurricanes running back Lamar Miller is viewed by many NFL Draft analysts as the second-ranked rusher, behind only Alabama’s Trent Richardson.

Miller’s first season as the full-time starter at Miami was 2011. As a redshirt sophomore, Miller led the Hurricanes with 1,272 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. Miller added 17 receptions for 85 yards and an additional touchdown. He became the first Miami Hurricanes running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, since Willis McGahee accomplished the feat in 20o2.

While we continue our NFL Draft preparation and coverage here at NFL Spin Zone, we got some time to talk with Lamar and discuss how he is preparing for the upcoming draft — you can also check out the rest of our prospect interviews HERE. This is what Lamar had to say:

Josh Sanchez: Where are you currently training?
Lamar Miller: I’m training down here at Pete Bommarito’s.

Sanchez: Could you take us through one of your daily workouts?
Miller: Well, now that I’m just training for the draft, we start at 8:15 and do some warm ups. After that, we’ll do a couple of drills with the ladders. The rest of the day we have certain drills to do. Sometimes we’ll work on my speed or sometimes we’ll just do a little drill for our position like catching some balls and other position drills. Just little things like that. Then we go and lift weights. After lifting weights, I go upstairs and do rehab for my shoulder then that’s pretty much it.

Sanchez: How intense was the training leading up to the combine?
Miller: It was pretty tough. For the combine, we’d have to start up at six o’clock and we don’t leave until five o’clock, so out day was pretty busy. We were just taking the time to get ready and prepare and practice some techniques. We’d do some 40′s, shuttles and the five-ten-five. After that, we’d go upstairs for the rehab and get some treatment. Then back to weights in the afternoon.

We’d set up some interviews, too, where the players would ask some questions just so we could be prepared for the interviews at the combine.

Sanchez: You didn’t participate in on-field drills, but how was the combine for you?
Miller: It was a great experience. You only get that chance once. At the combine, I really didn’t do everything. I just did the forty and the vertical jump, so at my pro day I tried to showcase my ability to the scouts. But the combine, it was a good experience. Got to hear some of the guys talking and talk with some of the teams. It was a long process, but one that I’ll only get to experience once, so it was a good idea.

Sanchez: What teams have you had a chance to talk to?
Miller: I talked to a lot, really. They were at the pro day too, so I got to talk to them all then.

Sanchez: Do you have any visits scheduled yet?
Miller: We’re still in the process of doing that.

Sanchez: What was it like playing for a program like Miami with such a great tradition?
Miller: It was a great experience to play for the University of Miami. Going through grade school and growing up, I got to watch the all-time greats like Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore and Clinton Portis. Watching guys like that and then getting to go in the same direction and trying to live the legacy that they left at the University of Miami, it was a great. Being in the orange and green and just playing for The U is always a great feeling.

Sanchez: You mentioned Willis McGahee. You were actually the first running back to rush for 1,000 yards at Miami since McGahee accomplished that in 2002. Did that mean anything special to you to reach that milestone?
Miller: That was one of my goals — to get 1,000 yards. It was something that I established, so it was great to be one of those people to get over 1,000 yards and just being one of the all-time rushers, the third all-time rusher, at Miami. Being in that predicament was just amazing. Just to get out there and show off my talents at the University of Miami.

Sanchez: When did you know that you were going to enter the draft early?
Miller: I really was just talking to my parents about the situation. I talked to some of the guys like Frank Gore and Clinton Portis. I just sat and talked and felt that it was just the best decision for me and my family.

Sanchez: So everyone knows you for your play on the field, what are some of your hobbies off of the field?
Miller: Well, off the field, I like to go to the mall and shop. Other than that I’m more of a home body that just chills with some of the guys and play some video games like NBA2k and Madden. We just chill and have fun. Maybe go to the movies with my family and friends and guys that are entering the draft with me. I like to have fun, really just laugh and cherish the moment.

Sanchez: Did you model your game after any players growing up?
Miller: I didn’t really model my game after nobody. I used to watch a lot of great running backs growing up. A lot of people compare me to Clinton Portis, but other than that, I don’t model my game after nobody.

Sanchez: Did you have favorite teams?
Miller: My favorite college team was the University of Miami and my favorite NFL team was the Dallas Cowboys, because I used to always like Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.

Sanchez: Do you have any goals for your rookie season?
Miller: Just do everything to help my team out, really. Whether it’s to win a Super Bowl, I just want to get the team back on top. Play my role and do whatever the coaches tell me to do. I’ll do my best at it. I just want to get on the field and help my team.

Sanchez: How about the draft, do you have any special plans for draft day?
Miller: As of now, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. I haven’t decided on that yet.

Sanchez: What will it mean to you to finally reach your goal of playing in the NFL?
Miller: You know, it’ll be a great experience. Just to hear your name being called on that stage on draft day, a lot of people don’t get that opportunity, so that’ll be amazing and a blessing to hear my name called on TV. Knowing that you accomplished something that you always wanted to do growing up and watched the greats do.

Sanchez: What do you feel you are going to bring to a NFL team?
Miller: They’ll be bringing in a complete player on and off the field. I’ll be a competitor. I like to compete and help my teammates get better. I’m a playmaker that always keeps the crowd on the edge of their seats. I consider myself a game-changer that’s liable to take it the distance every single play. I can catch the ball out the backfield and make guys miss in tight spaces and I will just showcase my talents.


(nflspinzone.com)