NEW YORK -- Von Miller makes no attempt to offer a politically correct answer to the question of what team he hopes will select him after the 2011 NFL Draft begins Thursday night.
Miller, an outside linebacker who hails from DeSoto, Texas, clearly has had a long-standing affinity with his hometown team.
There is, however, a slight catch. The Cowboys own the ninth overall pick, and the vast majority of draft analysts see Miller being chosen no later than No. 3, by the Buffalo Bills, and possibly at No. 2, by the Denver Broncos.
"The draft, it's a weird process," Miller said. "You never know what happens. Hopefully I'll be a Cowboy, though."
Even if it means being drafted ninth, which is likely to result in a significantly smaller signing bonus than being selected in the top three?
"The number doesn't really matter to me at all," Miller said. "In the situation that I'm in now, just being a first-round draft pick is good with me."
Before fans of the Broncos, Bills or any other team that isn't the Cowboys get too upset about Miller's stance, they should know that he does seem to be keeping a fairly open mind about his NFL future. There has been plenty of speculation that Denver is extremely interested in picking Miller at No. 2. Miller said his recent visit with the Broncos went "really well" and that it would be "a huge blessing to be able to play in Denver."
Because Miller played in a 3-4 defense in college and made his name as an outside speed rusher, there are some analysts who wonder just how well he might fit in a 4-3 scheme, which the Broncos play and other teams that play a 3-4 (such as Buffalo) will likely incorporate from time to time.
For the record, the Cowboys will run the 3-4 scheme of new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. But Miller insists he isn't concerned about how or where he'll fit with any defense.
"Whatever team that picks me up is going to have the exact scheme as what I do," he said. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to get on the field and contribute to winning. It doesn't matter what team I go to, what scheme I go to. I'm going to be the same football player no matter what."
Clearly, though, he'll be a happier one with the Cowboys.
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