Skip to main content
Join Now

New Orleans Saints select Christen Miller in second round of 2026 NFL Draft

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz04/24/26NickSchultz_7

After spending four years at Georgia, Christen Miller has heard his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft. The New Orleans Saints selected him in the second round.

Miller preserved a redshirt as a true freshman at Georgia in 2024 before becoming a key part of the defensive line. As a redshirt junior this past season, he totaled 23 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

All told, across his three full seasons of action, Miller recorded 64 tackles, 11.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. He showed his ability to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines and will now look to have the same impact in the NFL.

Throughout the pre-draft process, Miller graded as a potential late-first or early-second round grade. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected him to go No. 28 overall in his final two-round mock the week before the 2026 NFL Draft and he generated buzz because of his ability to shed blockers while breaking through the interior.

Miller played high school football at Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 122 overall player from the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Christen Miller

Because he can create an advantage at the point of attack, Christen Miller presents an intriguing prospect, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. Once he gets to the next level, though, Zierlein said the former Georgia star will need to continue building muscle and find more consistency. If he bulks up, he can then take up more space and make an even bigger impact.

“Miller is an even-front nose tackle who can rattle pads and gain early advantages at the point of attack,” Zierlein wrote. “He has good stack-and-shed against single blocks but lacks the prototypical mass of a space-eater. He will lose his anchor to double teams and strong angle blocks at times.

“He’s average at matching lateral movement off the snap but is generally aware of play design and hustles across gaps to squeeze run lanes. He’ll continue to bulk up and should become a good starter who is more consistent than dominant along the interior.”