Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller announced Saturday via Instagram that he will forgo his remaining eligibility to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Expectations were high for Miller this season, as the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Ellenwood, Georgia, native was set to fill big shoes on the Bulldog defensive front. With defenders Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, Nazir Stackhouse and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins all headed to the NFL, Miller quickly became the most experienced defensive lineman on Georgia’s roster for 2025.
If the Bulldogs wanted to maintain their position as one of college football’s elite defenses, Miller would have to be a leader, a role he embraced throughout the season. Miller’s most notable ability is his run defense, something that Georgia improved on significantly since last season. In 2024, the Bulldogs allowed 131.2 rushing yards per game, the 32nd-fewest in the Football Bowl Subdivision. When Miller was the only returning starter in 2025 and took the field with a younger, less experienced crew around him, that number shrunk to just 84.5 yards per game, the fifth-fewest in the FBS.
Miller finished the season with 23 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He entered the year with the potential to be a first round NFL prospect, and while his play may not have been electrifying enough to reach that goal, he should still expect to be selected no later than the second or third round and make contributions to his NFL team as a rookie.
Miller was a four-star recruit who mulled over offers to play for many elite programs such as Alabama, Clemson and Miami, but officially chose to join the Bulldogs on Feb. 2, 2022. He played in four games during his first season in Athens, ultimately wearing a redshirt but being a member of the second national championship team under head coach Kirby Smart.
He got more involved in 2023, and was a key starter by his sophomore season in 2024. Miller ends his time at Georgia with 64 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
“Thank you to Dawg Nation for embracing a kid from the east side of Atlanta and exposing me to experiences that helped me grow and transform into who I am today,” Miller said in his statement on Instagram. “Your support has helped prepare me to take this next step and dominate at the next level.”