Draft Scout Snapshot: A closer look at the Jets' picks: Round 1/9 - Dee Milliner, CB, 6-0, 201, Alabama...Milliner was one of the most decorated cornerbacks in the draft, as well as perhaps its most banged-up. He's already had five surgeries, including a recent shoulder operation to repair a torn labrum, but the Jets are confident in his medical records and believe he can perform in the NFL as he did at Alabama, where he led the nation with 21 pass breakups last year. Not drafted to replace Darrelle Revis, but will likely anchor the secondary for years to come. - The Sports Xchange
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04/28/13 - A closer look at the Jets' picks: Round 1/9 - Dee Milliner, CB, 6-0, 201, Alabama...Milliner was one of the most decorated cornerbacks in the draft, as well as perhaps its most banged-up. He's already had five surgeries, including a recent shoulder operation to repair a torn labrum, but the Jets are confident in his medical records and believe he can perform in the NFL as he did at Alabama, where he led the nation with 21 pass breakups last year. Not drafted to replace Darrelle Revis, but will likely anchor the secondary for years to come. - The Sports Xchange
04/28/13 - While Milliner isn't going to actually replace Revis -- Antonio Cromartie is sure to draw the opposition's No. 1 receiver in 2013 -- he provides protection in case the Jets cut Cromartie after next season. Cromartie renegotiated his contract in March, a maneuver that increased his 2014 cap number by $4.2 million. Milliner could push Kyle Wilson, a first-round pick in 2010 who has yet to live up to his draft status, while potentially teaming up with Wilson in 2014 and beyond to give the Jets a long-term, homegrown cornerback duo.
Milliner starred at Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide to consecutive national championships the last two years by collecting a total of 80 tackles. 31 pass breakups and five interceptions. He was a first-team All-American as well as a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection last year, when he surrendered just 13 completions on 76 passes thrown his way. - The Sports Xchange
04/28/13 - There are numerous health concerns about Milliner, who has already undergone five surgeries to repair a pair of shoulder injuries and a sports hernia as well as injuries to his right knee and right tibia. He underwent his second shoulder surgery in March, shortly after he participated in the Combine. Milliner and Idzik both said Thursday night that he'll be fully recovered by training camp. "I'm just going to go out there and try and compete for a job," Milliner said. "I'll try to make plays, just do what I do best and try to play football." - The Sports Xchange
04/28/13 - Much has been made about Rex Ryan and how the defensive-minded head coach appears to be a lame duck entering the penultimate year of his contact under new general manager John Idzik. But even if Ryan is doomed to be fired, it appears as if the Jets will still be defined by their defense throughout the early years of the Idzik regime. The Jets, armed with two picks in the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft thanks to Sunday's Darrelle Revis trade, selected cornerback Dee Milliner with the ninth pick and Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson with the 13th pick. While plenty of fans would have preferred the Jets spend one or both picks on playmakers who could help out one of the league's worst offenses, Idzik's first two picks as a general manager are in line with his reputation as a patient, methodical executive who won't be swayed by public opinion. "We'll address need, but talent will trump need," Idzik said late Thursday night.
While Idzik admitted he pondered drafting for need by going with an offensive player or two, he decided to stick with the Jets' board. "In the end, the two players we drafted, they were two of our highest-rated players on our board -- by far," Idzik said. During his pre-draft press conference, Idzik said he and his fellow executives are "grinders at heart," and Milliner and Richardson are the type of unglamorous but necessary pieces the Jets need as Idzik begins rebuilding a barren roster. - The Sports Xchange
04/25/13 - DANE BRUGLER'S FINAL 2013 DRAFT BOARD: 4. CB Dee Milliner, Alabama (6-0, 201, 3JR)...Although he doesn't have elite speed, Milliner makes up for his lack of quick-twitch athleticism with smooth hips, natural instincts and very good read/react skills. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com
04/25/13 - ROB RANG'S FINAL 2013 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD: 4. *Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama: Athletic, productive against elite competition and tough enough to star not only at corner but also on the Tide's special-teams' units, Milliner ranks as the top defensive back in the 2013 draft class and among the elite prospects, overall. While some in the media have voiced concerns about his recovery from post-combine surgery to repair a torn labrum, as well as previous surgeries while at Alabama, multiple league sources have indicated to NFLDraftScout.com that Milliner's medical was not an issue. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com
04/24/13 - Here's what I know about Dee Milliner: He's the top cornerback in the draft, he had a productive career at Alabama and he's had a number of injuries -- including a torn labrum that required surgery in March. Here's what I don't know: How injuries and surgeries affect his draft status. Of course, neither does Milliner, but he was at an NFL predraft event on Wednesday to launch a pre-emptive strike, saying he expects to be in training camp on time, that his shoulder rehab is "ahead of schedule" and that there's no reason for teams to be concerned.
"I'm doing great, and I didn't miss any time with the injuries," he said. "All of them are minor. I don't even how all this got started, but I'm not really worried about it. Whatever teams takes a chance and picks me, I'll go out there play for them and play on. (What teams should know is that) I've been fine, I had minor surgeries and I missed no games."
What has been happening to Milliner the past week is not unusual for NFL drafts. The same thing happened to Adrian Peterson, when fears about a broken collarbone pushed his 2007 draft stock down so that Cleveland -- which drafted third -- passed and took tackle Joe Thomas instead. But the Browns weren't alone with their concerns. Peterson didn't land in Minnesota until the seventh pick.
"I have no problem with Milliner," one scout told me. "There's nothing there we didn't know. Basically, what you have to do is take everything you hear in the two weeks leading up to the draft and throw it out the window." - Clark Judge, CBSSports.com
04/21/13 - 2013 NFL DRAFT: FIVE BOLD PREDICTIONS: 3. Five Alabama prospects in first two rounds...Eight Crimson Tide players were drafted in 2012, including five of the top 35 overall picks -- Trent Richardson, Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw. It's possible Alabama could produce four first-round picks again next week. The locks are cornerback Dee Milliner, guard Chance Warmack and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker.
Running back Eddie Lacy is a fringe round one guy and defensive tackle Jesse Williams might fit into the top 50 because of his 3-4 experience. He's one of the few true 3-4 nose tackles in the pool. The trend will continue next season, when quarterback A.J. McCarron and wide receiver Kevin Norwood lead the '14 Tide draft parade. - Jeff Reynolds, The Sports Xchange
03/24/13 - 2013 Alabama Pro Day: Representatives from 32 NFL teams gathered at the pro day held at Alabama on March 13, where 10 players went through a workout held indoors on FieldTurf. Dee Milliner, CB (6-0 3/8, 206) - Milliner had right shoulder surgery following the combine and his shoulder was in a sling. Despite needing the surgery, Milliner did all the drills at the combine. - Gil Brandt, NFL.com
03/13/13 - 2013 Alabama Pro Day: Alabama had four first-round picks in 2012, and four in 2011. The Crimson Tide could match that number in April. Or possibly exceed it. Cornerback Dee Milliner, offensive guard Chance Warmack, offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, Williams and running back Eddie Lacy are candidates to go in the first round on April 25. Milliner, the No. 1-ranked cornerback in the draft, is recovering from shoulder surgery and his All-Pro junior season, combined with a stellar combine workout left him nothing to prove to evaluators. He had his arm in a sling after surgery to repair a torn labrum. - Jeff Reynolds, The Sports Xchange
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