A significant opportunity lies ahead for former Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller at the NFL level.
Following the free agency departure of Devin Lloyd from Jacksonville to Carolina, Miller is viewed as the favorite to step into the Jaguars' starting linebacker role opposite Foye Oluokun for the 2026 season, as Miller enters his fourth year with the franchise.
Pro Football Focus, accordingly, named Miller to its "All-Breakout Team" at linebacker for the 2026 campaign, highlighting his productive 2025 season in a rotational role behind Lloyd and Oluokun as reason to believe he could "make a leap to stardom."
After playing well in a much smaller opportunity, Miller might finally have the chance to establish himself as a household name in 2026.
Working as a backup last season, Miller was very effective, netting a 72.6 overall PFF grade on 220 snaps. His best work came against the run, where he secured an 82.8 PFF run-defense mark that sat 15th among all linebackers. While Miller was diminished against the pass throughout his larger body of work, he earned at least a 69.2 PFF coverage grade in three of his last four games —suggesting he has more in the tank.
With Devin Lloyd now in Carolina, the Jaguars are searching for a legitimate complement to Foye Oluokun. Based on the team's roster construction, it seems like that's poised to be the third-year Miller.
Jacksonville's No. 121 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Miller missed his rookie season with the Jaguars after suffering a ruptured Achilles during his debut training camp with the club.
But with Oluokun out for four games due to injury and Jacksonville deploying a three-linebacker base the next season, Miller started nine of 15 appearances in 2024 and had a productive year, recording 80 total tackles, including four for loss, three defended passes, and one forced fumble.
A new coaching staff led Jacksonville to deploy fewer three-linebacker sets in 2025, and paired with a Second-Team All-Pro campaign from Lloyd, Miller saw his defensive snaps cut by more than half in his third season with the Jaguars. Still, he made a meaningful impact over his playing opportunities, logging 38 tackles, four defended passes, two forced fumbles and one interception over two starts and 17 games.
Miller signed with Florida as a 247Sports three-star prospect from Lakeland (Fla.) Kathleen High School in the 2027 recruiting class.
A three-plus season starter in the middle of the Gators defense, Miller produced 240 total tackles including 23.5 for loss and 7.5 sacks, one interception that resulted in a pick-six, eight defended passes and two forced fumbles over 49 appearances.
Miller was named the Southeastern Conference's Defensive Player of the Week twice during the 2020 season, his most productive year with Florida, when he tallied 88 tackles with 7.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and three defended passes.
Miller was limited to two starts in 2021 due to a season-ending arm injury, but returned in 2022 to post 74 tackles with 8.5 for loss, two defended passes and two forced fumbles in his final year with the Gators.
Miller was one of six Florida prospects selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, along with quarterback Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts, first round, No. 4 overall), defensive tackle Gervon Dexter (Chicago Bears, second round. No. 53 overall), guard O'Cyrus Torrence (Buffalo Bills, second round, No. 59 overall), wide receiver Justin Shorter (Buffalo Bills, fifth round, No. 150 overall) and linebacker Amari Burney (Las Vegas Raiders, sixth round, No. 203 overall).