Every NFL Team's Most Exciting 2023 Undrafted Free-Agent Addition | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Aubrey Miller's size likely kept him from getting drafted. His height (5'11") and weight (229 pounds) make him an outlier at off-ball linebacker in that way. We saw Nakobe Dean drop considerably in the draft last year with nearly identical dimensions, although he was also flagged for injury concerns.

But Miller has quite a few NFL connections that have him prepared for life in the league. It helps that Jackson State teammate James Houston had so much success with the Lions as the 217th pick in last year's draft. He had eight sacks in seven games.

Miller noted that Houston "opened the door" for a lot of players from HBCUs to be drafted. He also credited former Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders for preparing him for life in the league.

"Sanders taught me how to be a pro on the field and off," Miller said, per J.T. Keith of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger. "He taught us to have intangibles such as having character, being tough, fast smart and being disciplined. To give maximum effort every time I am on the field, the little things like running to the ball. And off the field, the way I carry myself and communicate with others."