Jackson State football's Aubrey Miller Jr. takes own path to becoming an NFL prospect
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Posted By: S. Moore on January 05, 2023 Coming up short in the Cricket Celebration Bowl to South Carolina State last year ignited a fire in Jackson State inside linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. If All-American and current Detroit Lions defensive end James Houston was the heart of the defense last season, then Miller was the soul. With an opportunity to turn professional after last season, Miller decided to return to school, work on his game and be the best that he could be. In leading JSU to an undefeated regular season and second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship in 2022, Miller had 112 tackles with two sacks, five forced fumbles, and one touchdown. As a result, the Tigers' defense allowed only 13.5 points a game. For his efforts, Miller won a slew of honors. He was named to the Athlon Sports All-America first team and received a second-team nod to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS All-America team. The SWAC Defensive Player of the Year was also a BOXTOROW HBCU All-American and National Defensive Player of the Year, Associated Press FCS All-America and Stats Perform FCS All-America. “I did think about going pro last year,” Miller said. “I realized those seasons before last year were COVID-19 seasons and the draft class was going to be huge. I decided to come back one more year, learn and develop the game more and make sure I dominate the season. Now, I am ready to go and take the next step.” One of the keys to Miller’s success was switching from middle linebacker to weak-side linebacker. As a middle linebacker, he was more of a run stopper, but as a weak side linebacker, Miller was more involved in covering tight ends and running backs. “I feel like my game improved overall,” Miller said. “I improved as a leader. Our main goal was to dominate and that is what we did.” After spending three years at Missouri, Miller was not familiar with the HBCU culture until he talked to JSU linebacker coach Andre’ Hart and former head coach Deion Sanders. Along with playing football for JSU, Miller said that Sanders taught him how to be a man and how to play and practice as a pro — not to seek attention and let the game come to him. Miller said that another reason he transferred to Jackson State is that he wanted Black people to start pouring into their own foundation. He wants to have the money come to JSU and break the Power Five. “Jackson State is second to none,” Miller said. “From the bands to the attendants, it was consistent and I loved it, especially outside of football. I just loved being around these people. You can’t do that at Missouri.” If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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