Lions take Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with No. 17 pick in NFL draft

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions found a replacement for a longtime fixture on the offensive line.

Detroit drafted Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the No. 17 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, selecting a massive and durable player to make up for the loss of Taylor Decker.

“When you think about Blake Miller, you sleep easy,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said.

The 6-foot-7, 317-pound Miller started 54 games in college. The three-time All-ACC player broke a school record by playing 3,778 offensive snaps.

Miller, who is from Strongsville, Ohio, said he also did not sit out of a game in middle or high school football.

“If I’m able to play through injury or blessed enough to be completely healthy, I owe it to my teammates to be on the field,” he said.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Miller missed two practices in college.

“Blake Miller is one of one,” Swinney said. “He is big. He’s strong. He’s athletic. He’s a leader, and he’s one of the most committed guys I’ve ever coached.”

Holmes says he drafts the best players on the team’s board, refusing to reach for needs.

Miller appears to be both a highly rated prospect and a player with a chance to play right away as a rookie for coach Dan Campbell after the team scouted him for three years.

“He has literally gotten better every single year and that’s what makes you really excited about a player that has a high floor,” Holmes said.

Decker asked for his release, ending a 10-year run as the team’s starting left tackle, in a relatively surprising move after announcing he was coming back instead of retiring.

Penei Sewell will likely replace Decker on the left side. Detroit signed Larry Borom to possibly take Sewell’s spot on the right side and now he has competition from a first-round pick for playing time.

Miller is looking forward to playing with Sewell, an All-Pro the previous three seasons.

“I’ve watched a lot of his tape,” Miller said. “There’s so much he does incredibly well. Just to be able to sit in the same room with him and on the same field, I can’t wait.”

Detroit also has a second-round pick, two selections in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds along with one in the seventh round to address needs, particularly on defense.

The Lions are scheduled to be on the clock for pick No. 50 overall and Holmes like their chances of landing a player high on the board.

“We feel about good about the cluster that might be there,” he said.

The Lions have had four straight winning seasons for the first time since 1969 to 1972, but no one is celebrating that in the Motor City.

They went into last season projected as Super Bowl contenders and failed to make the playoffs, finishing 9-8. The disappointing season followed a franchise-record, 15-win season along with two straight NFC North titles and an NFC championship game appearance.

Detroit was not very aggressive in NFL free agency because the franchise is trying to save salary cap space to sign some key players to long-term extensions.

The Lions signed center Cade Mays to a $25 million, three-year deal in the hopes of solidifying an offensive line that struggled last season. They also added veteran edge rusher D.J. Wonnum to a one-year deal.

Detroit is hoping it can afford to retain such players as running back Jahmyr Gibbs, linebacker Jack Campbell and tight end Sam LaPorta with new contracts.

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