CU Buffs’ Drelon Miller picking up where he left off in 2024

Like the 70 NFL scouts in attendance, Colorado receivers coach Jason Phillips watched as Drelon Miller lined up in the backfield and at wideout during the Buffaloes’ pro day last Friday.

“It wasn’t cool at all,” Phillips joked, “because he was in the backfield, and I don’t want to lose him early to the pros or to the backfield, so it wasn’t cool from that standpoint.”

It is pretty cool, though, that Miller was the only player showcasing his skills for scouts that will be back with the Buffaloes this year. The other 16 – headlined by star quarterback Shedeur Sanders and receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter – are preparing for the NFL draft.

That Miller was invited to participate as one of the receivers catching passes from Sanders is a testament to his talent and his rapport with one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

“What that was, it was basically Shedeur having trust in him,” Phillip said. “To see his maturation, how when he first got here as a freshman to where he is now, to where a guy that’s a potential first round draft pick (Sanders) believes in him enough to have him be a part of his workout, so that was pretty cool.”

It wasn’t long ago that Miller first arrived at CU as a true freshman last summer. But, in that time, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound receiver has shown flashes of being a star.

With the ability to run the ball, Miller actually made two starts at running back last year. He ran the ball four times for 10 yards, but became a reliable threat as a receiver. Despite playing behind four NFL-bound seniors, Miller finished with 32 catches for 277 yards and three touchdowns in 2024.

“Just growing as a player,” he said of earning a role in 2024. “It’s way different from high school, just in attention to detail. Just listen to your coaches, quarterbacks, my receiver room. I listened to everything they had to say to me. And I feel like I had to pay attention to everything, that I had to soak up everything like a sponge.”

Now, despite being just a sophomore, Miller is a potential leader in the receiver room. He has more career catches than anyone in the room.

“I’m just coming out there now and showing all the new freshmen, the new transfers, how to do things like that,” he said.

“I feel like I’m doing very well so far (as a leader). This is my first spring, actually, because I came late May (last year). So just learning all the knowledge from the seniors last year, and just learning from LaJohntay (Wester), his leadership, and just taking over that role. Just trying to be a leader in the receiver room.”

Miller has plenty of talent around him, including junior Omarion Miller (no relation) and Tulsa transfer Joseph Williams. But, Miller is expected to have a big role in the CU offense.

“I expect him to pick up where he left off (last year),” Phillips said. “It took about week three, four or five before you actually saw what he was capable of. … I just expect Drelon to pick up where he left off, be a leader for those guys too, because he’s walked that path.”

Miller said he hopes to get chances in the backfield as a runner, as he did last year, but simply wants the ball in his hands.

“Just put me back there, I’ll be happy,” he said. “As long as I got the ball in my hand, I’m gonna have a smile on my face. So put me anywhere on the field, I’ll make something happen.”

In fact, he’s even excited making an impact without the ball as he blocks for teammates.

“Hopefully I get a couple pancakes this year,” he said.

As for the pro day experience, Miller said it was a confidence boost, even though he’s not draft eligible until 2027.

“It boosted me a lot, honestly,” he said. “It was big, all the scouts out there, and just to experience all that. And, just to be there with those (graduating) guys, probably my last time on the field with them for a while. I had a blast with them.”