COLUMBUS, Ohio With the rumor-filled circus that is the NFL draft approaching on Thursday, the only certainty in the NFL right now seems to be this: Ohio State will have a heavy presence in Chicago at this weekend's selection show.With more than 70 percent of Ohio State's starting lineup and nine underclassmen having departed from last year's team, as many as 14 ex-Buckeyes could wind up hearing their names called by the end of this weekend. And while it still has yet to be determined how many former Ohio State stars are drafted and where each will land, there may not be a bigger enigma in the bunch than Braxton Miller."The two wild cards are Cardale [Jones] and Braxton," Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer said last month. "They're the ones that don't have enough tape."In the case of Jones, the question marks are obvious. Is a player with just 11 starts as a quarterback in his college career worthy of not only a draft pick but also one day becoming the face of a franchise' And if so, how soon is too soon to take him'Miller's situation, however, is a little more complicatedand perhaps more likely to bring a much higher upside.Truth be told, if Miller had it his way, he might be preparing not for the draft but rather his second season in the NFL right now. That was the plan two years ago as the 2013 season drew to a close, before a vicious hit in the Orange Bowl brought the then-Buckeyes quarterback's junior season to an unceremonious end.The result was offseason shoulder surgery that took entering the 2014 draft as an underclassman off the table for Miller in favor of a return to Columbus for his senior season. But a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder later that offseason ultimately ended his career as a quarterback, very much leaving his football future in doubt.By now, you know the restor at least enough to get you to this point. After sitting out the 2014 season recovering from his second shoulder surgery, Miller made the move to wide receiver, returning to the field at a new position for Ohio State in eye-popping fashion.The 6'1", 201-pounder's numbers throughout his firstand onlyseason as a wideout with the Buckeyes weren't jarring (26 catches, 341 yards and three touchdowns, with 260 yards and another score on 42 rushing attempts), but they were enough to prove that while he could no longer throw at full strength, the speedster who rushed for 3,054 yards and 32 touchdowns in three seasons as a quarterback hadn't lost a step.They were also enough to bring Miller back to the attention of the NFLperhaps even more than if he had remained a quarterback."He wasn't going to be drafted as a quarterbackthe accuracy just isn't there," Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Analyst Matt Miller said upon Miller's conversion to wideout last summer. "But as an offensive weaponreceiver, returner, sometimes runnerhe has upside."This offseason, that upside has been on display, and Miller's draft stock has only risen, thanks in large part to a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl, where the Huber Heights, Ohio, native was named the week's best practice performer by NFL scouts. And although his NFL Scouting Combine workout was more solid than spectacular, he bounced back with an Ohio State pro day performance that saw him run an unofficial 4.33-second 40-yard dash."All the stress is gone now. Senior Bowl, combine, pro day. I checked off all those," Miller said following his pro day. "I answered all the questions. I didn't leave any doubt out on the field. So I did what I had to do."Now it's time to see where Miller's offseason as a workout warrior lands himand when.Ranked by Matt Miller as the draft's eighth-best wide receiver and No. 54 overall player, the two-time Big Ten MVP seems like a near-lock to be selected Friday night in either the draft's second or third round.That's not too shabby for a player who may not have even been picked at all had he remained at his former position. But with so much uncertainty and smokescreens aplenty entering this year's draft, is it possible Miller could sneak into Thursday's first round of 31 picks'Possible' Sure. After all, asrecently as last month, Matt Miller had Braxton peggedas a first-round pick.However, it will depend on a number of variables on Thursday.For example, if there's a run on receiversa position at which top prospects seem to be bunched together as mid-teens-to-20s picksMiller's chances of hearing his name called on Thursday night would increase. Last year, six wideouts were taken in the draft's first roundthe most since 2009.Even if Miller is the eighth-best wideout in this class, his perceived potential could ultimately slide him up at least a few teams' draft boards. It's not unrealistic to think Miller could be the fifth wide receiver taken this weekend after Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell, Baylor's Corey Coleman, TCU's Josh Doctson and college teammate Michael Thomas.And when it comes to upside, there may not be a receiver with a higher ceiling than Miller in this year's draft."As Miller transitioned to wide receiver, he showed natural hands and a toughness at the position," Matt Miller wrote of Braxton in his final evaluation. "Some will want to label Miller as a 'gadget player,' but he's more than that. His athleticism and speed make him a candidate to have a Randall Cobb or Hines Ward-like role in the NFL."If teams agree that Miller compares favorably to an All-Pro like Cobb and a potential Hall of Famer like Ward, a first-round selection isn't out of the question.Will that be enough to outweigh the questions teams still have about a player with less than a year of experience at his position under his belt and a history of injuries'Perhaps.But all it takes is one.BenAxelrodis Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter@BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy ofCFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of247Sports.
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