Chicago Bears: Anthony Miller could emerge as No. 1 target

The Chicago Bears have made a concerted effort to improve the receiving corps. Anthony Miller could prove to be the best option in the resurgent group.

The Chicago Bears selected Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. It was a bold decision by a franchise that’s been desperately searching for a franchise quarterback for the better part of its existence.

The jury is still out on Trubisky, but the working theory is that Chicago has equipped him with the necessary firepower at wide receiver.

In 2017, Kendall Wright was the only Bear who amassed more than 50 yards or 100 receptions—and he checked in at 50 for 614. Furthermore, it was tight end Adam Shaheen who led Chicago in receiving touchdowns with a mere three.

In the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bears selected a player who could exceed every one of those numbers as a rookie: Memphis Tigers wide receiver Anthony Miller.

Miller joins a receiving corps that will also include the likes of Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and former top-10 draft pick Kevin White.

Miller is a 5’11” and 201-pound wide receiver with big hands and upper body strength that blew scouts away at the Combine. On the field, he’s an explosive receiving threat who thrives in the red zone and can make plays all over the field.

That much is established by the fact that he recorded 187 receptions for 2,841 yards and 31 touchdowns between the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Beyond the numbers, Miller has remarkable footwork and the ability to line up both in the slot and outside the numbers.

Miller specializes in a specific area, however, as he ranked sixth in the country in yards per route run from the slot in 2017. He forced 19 missed tackles and proved to be a versatile threat in terms of the different routes that he ran.

Miller produced passer ratings that were at least 21.4 points above the NCAA average on screen, out, hitch, comeback, and post routes in 2017, per Pro Football Focus.

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With Allen Robinson lining up outside the numbers and Anthony Miller in the slot, the Chicago Bears could have two high-level targets for Mitch Trubisky.