2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Alex Miller, DT, Northwestern University

• Name: Alex Miller
• Height: 6’3″
• Weight: 300 lbs
• Position: Defensive Tackle
• College: Northwestern University
• Twitter: @wangdimiller

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?

• I moved around a few times while growing up.  In 3rd grade my family moved to Houston, TX and that’s where I lived and went to high school. I love the people in Houston and football culture in Texas.  

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?

• I believe all three of these are important to success on the field. If I had to rank them: 1. Practice because the best way to get better is to practice better. 2. Strength and Conditioning because you need to be strong and quick to dominate the LOS. 3. Film study because it is important to study yourself and to watch yourself on film to correct mistakes, it is also important because you need to watch film on opponents and study who you are playing against individually and the other team’s offensive scheme.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I don’t worry too much. I just try to focus on what I can control and what I am doing. 

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?

• My Junior year (2018) I did not play as well as I was capable of playing due to an ankle injury. I started our opener against Purdue and I hurt my ankle in that game. I came back, played a few weeks, then I hurt it again. I was not healthy the majority of the season, but I overcame that and started and played well in the 2018 Holiday Bowl. I was frustrated how my Junior year went, so I worked hard that offseason and gained 18 pounds going from 282 to 300. This translated into my best season this past year (2019). In my mind I failed to play well due to not being healthy my Junior year (2018), but I overcame this failure by bouncing back and playing my best season my senior year (2019).

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• I am a hard worker and I give great effort.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

• Pat Elflein 2016 Ohio State

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 

• It’s always been my goal to play football in the NFL so I’m not sure. Maybe consulting or investment banking.

Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?

•  I would clean all 3 if they weren’t clean. I would clean my desk first because I like to keep my work environment clean.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

• I would save my family member first because I love my family. Then I would save the three strangers. 

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?

• Eddard (Ned) Stark from Game of Thrones. He is a man of great conviction and loyalty. He is a quiet leader and stands up for what he believes in. He does what he thinks is the right thing, and it costs him his life.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?

• My Sophomore year in 2017 my youngest brother had a life threatening injury

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• Anytime I try to dance

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Sack in the 2018 Big Ten Championship Game against Ohio State, big play on the Goal line in the 2018 Holiday Bowl vs. Utah at the end of the 2nd quarter.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Heart of a Champion by Nelly

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 

• I play with great technique and great effort. I can knock people off the ball, I can shed blocks, I can make plays in the backfield. I run to and get to the ball.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?

• A famous military commander from history. Either Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 

• Retro Funk Palace

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• Tyler Lancaster (Packers). Lanny is a good player and he is gonna keep getting better because he works hard.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. It’s important to work hard and be focused. Do the right thing even when it is unpopular or hard.

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?

• This is difficult to comment on because I don’t know

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I love winning. I expect to win and I prepare to win. If I fail and lose I use that as an opportunity to learn and grow stronger.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?

My parents. They are both good people and hard workers. They did a great job raising myself and my younger brothers, Sam and Ben.