UGA Football DL Christen Miller Picked No. 42 Overall by the Saints in the 2026 NFL Draft

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Former Georgia Bulldog defensive lineman Christen Miller was selected No. 42 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. 

Miller is the second defender to be taken from the University of Georgia this draft and he is only next in line of high picks from Georgia’s defensive front over the last few years. Kirby Smart is smiling somewhere with the additional boost to the recruiting pitch. 

The 21 year-old from Ellenwood, Georgia is the latest example that production or lack thereof is not what your NFL draft stock solely hinges on. In four seasons, Miller only accrued 64 tackles and four sacks. 

Miller is being drafted for his ability to hog the gap in run stop and for his size. Advanced stats showed that he was an elite run stopper in his time at Georgia. The four-year player from the 2022 recruiting class stands at 6’4” and over 300 lbs. Developing as a pass-rusher and improving at taking on double teams would more than justify the early selection for Miller. 

The interior defensive lineman started to gain traction as a possible early-round pick towards the end of the 2024 season. He had a strong showing in the Sugar Bowl loss against Notre Dame and took that momentum into the offseason where he found himself on award watch lists. Starting all 14 games for the Dawgs in his redshirt junior season, Miller was named a First Team All-SEC selection as the oldest and most experienced player on Georgia’s defensive line. 

Miller, like many recent Georgia Bulldog defensive lineman, made a name for himself as a huge personality. Smart once said in an interview that he would let Miller run the music if he had to choose a player to do so and that interior defender believed in “white boy Wednesdays.” Miller plans to pursue a music career in addition to his football life.