Ohio State quarterback turned playmaking wide receiver Braxton Miller is now the newest member of the Houston Texans.
Miller ran the ball 43 times for 261 yards and a touchdown during his senior season. He also caught 25 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Miller, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, was a possibility for the Texans in round two as well. The team has been in a desperate search to complement wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a new, revamped Texans offense.
Hopkins, who watched the team take Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller with their first-round pick on Thursday, took the news quite well.
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound Miller injured his throwing shoulder prior to the 2014 season, causing him to take a medical redshirt season. By the time he returned, the Buckeyes were loaded at the position, so Miller decided to take his playmaking abilities to another position instead of playing quarterback at another school. The brave maneuver paid off for the would-be Heisman front runner, as Miller placed himself firmly in the conversation as an early-round pick in this year's draft.
He finds a welcome home in Houston, a team that was once revered for its running game, but will now be one of the more formidable passing units in the league next year. Brock Osweiler has to be just as thrilled as Hopkins.
The pick is an interesting window into how O'Brien views wide receivers. Like his former boss, Bill Belichick, he covets the position versatility and overall knowledge of the game. Unlike Belichick, O'Brien also covets speed demons to take the top off opposing defenses.