Why Braxton Miller can thrive as a WR

We have only been grading college football games for one season, so we don’t have any statistics on Ohio State quarterback-turned-receiver Braxton Miller, but our numbers do give us reason to believe that Miller can succeed right away as an offensive weapon in the Buckeyes’ offense.
For starters, there is opportunity, as the team lost two of its five receivers who topped 400 snaps last season. But perhaps more importantly, head coach Urban Meyer and his offensive staff showed a tendency to create specialized roles for his receivers. The best example of this was New York Jets second-round pick Devin Smith, who was the Buckeyes’ designated deep threat last season: Of Smith’s 48 targets, 26 were on throws 20-plus yards down the field.
This suggests that if Miller can demonstrate even a narrow skill set at receiver, he will see the field — and while we can’t quantify it, his athleticism and overall playmaking ability with the ball in his hands have been on display since the start of his Buckeyes career.
His immediate competition at Meyer’s H-back position is Jalin Marshall, who had a huge game against Indiana but was not a dominant player overall. Don’t be surprised to see Miller earn plenty of playing time and get to showcase himself as a skill-position player for NFL scouts.