CLEMSON — When he came back to Clemson to continue his workouts prior to Thursday’s NFL Draft, Blake Miller had a new look.
Since he came to Clemson four years ago, the right tackle always had long flowing hair. It became his trademark during his 54-game career in Tigertown. But when he got to Thousand Oaks, Calif., in January to start his NFL Combine workouts, he decided it was time to change things up.
So, Miller cut his hair off.
“I had a few people come up to me and say, ‘I did not know if that was you.’ But when you try a new look, I am sure there are going to be a few people that have to get used to it,” Miller said.
The same can be said for Miller’s opportunity in Thursday’s NFL Draft. It is going to take some “getting used to” to see a Clemson offensive lineman selected in the first round of an NFL Draft.
Miller is slotted to do just that in Pittsburgh, Pa., where the 2026 NFL Draft is being hosted. Clemson has not had an offensive lineman selected in the first round of an NFL Draft since 1960, when Lou Cordileone was taken No. 12 overall in the first round by the New York Giants.
“It would be a tremendous honor to have that for our university and all of our coaches and staff that had poured into me over the years,” Miller said. “It is a testament to them as well.”
If he is selected in the first round, Miller would become the first Clemson offensive lineman selected in first round in the Common Draft era, which was instituted jointly by the AFL and NFL in 1967.
How rare is it for a Clemson offensive lineman to be drafted in the first three rounds of an NFL Draft. Pretty rare.
It has happened just six times since Cordileone went in the first round in 1960. Coincidentally, tackle Harold Olson was selected with the very next pick after Cordileone, which was the first pick of the second round and No. 13 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960.
In 1968, Harry Olszewski was taken in the third round (64th overall) by the Cleveland Browns.
The highest offensive line selection from Clemson in the Common Draft era came in 1971. That year, guard Dave Thompson joined the Detroit Lions with the No. 30 overall selection, a slot that would be a first-round pick in the present-day NFL Draft, but it represented the fourth pick of the second round during the 26-team era.
After Thompson, tackle Joe Bostic was picked in the third round (64th overall) by the Cardinals in the 1979 NFL Draft.
From 1980-2014, no Clemson offensive lineman was selected in the first three rounds until Brandon Thomas went No. 100 overall in the third round to the San Francisco 49ers. In 2021, Jackson Carman was picked in the second round (No. 46 overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Now Miller is in position to possibly stand above them all.
“If that was the case, it would be such an honor,” Miller said.
Miller, primarily a right tackle, started in all 54 games during his college career, finishing with a program-high 3,778 offensive snaps. He earned All-ACC honors three times along the way.
Miller has been slotted as one of the Top-10 offensive tackle prospects in his class by ESPN, the Athletic, NFL.com, and several other major outlets.
“I have been very fortunate to speak with a lot of NFL teams,” Miller said. “Most teams do not give you a concreate, ‘Hey, we think you are here.’ I try not to pay attention to that too much. I am focused on being the best I can be, getting better and getting my body in better shape and keeping my weight where it needs to be.
“All of that will sort itself out down the road.”
The 2026 NFL Draft will begin at 8 p.m., on Thursday with the first round. The second and third rounds will be on Friday (7 p.m.), while rounds four-six will take place on Saturday starting at noon.