High school countdown: Salpointe junior Jonah Miller already has offers from UA, ASU, others

The Star is counting down the top football players in Southern Arizona in the weeks leading up to the season.

Today: Salpointe Catholic junior Jonah Miller.

The rundown: Miller is a 6-foot-6-inch, 290-pound offensive lineman

Who he is: Salpointe Catholic’s mammoth-sized junior grew another inch taller and packed on 15 pounds following his sophomore season, and returns as one of the most athletic and versatile offensive linemen in Arizona.

Miller always possessed Division I size, even as a freshman. He developed behind Matteo Mele, now at Washington, and Christian Massey before stepping into a significant role as a sophomore in 2018.

Playing behind Mele proved to be an invaluable experience. Miller made the Class 4A All-Kino Region second team last year.

“Guys have to progress and develop at their own pace, but it’s motivating when you’re next to a guy who is similar in size and athleticism and is getting recruited at the highest level,” Salpointe coach Dennie Bene said. “No question, it was motivating for Jonah and he’s got his sights set on a Power 5 program to play for in the future.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

The Lancers will experiment with Miller at both guard and tackle. His size and mobility can cause major matchup problems — especially with Bijan Robinson, Salpointe’s Texas-bound running back, carrying the ball.

“He’s a difficult matchup for a high school defensive lineman,” Bene said.

Blair Angulo, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports.com, said Miller “repeatedly reaches second level to open running lanes” and is a “top-notch run blocker who seals his gap.”

If all goes right, No. 75 for Salpointe Catholic will be an all-state lineman this fall.

Proof he’s good: Miller is rated as a four-star prospect and the 29th-best offensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class by 247Sports.com. Colorado and Arizona State offered him scholarships first, and were followed by the UA in January. Since then, Miller has received offers from USC, Oregon, Washington, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Nevada and Washington State.

He said it: “You just don’t get guys that big and that athletic. Jonah has an opportunity to be an elite lineman because of his physical abilities. He’s going through a huge maturation process right now both physically and mentally. He’s had a ton a growth over the last three months and he has a ton of potential. He has a chance to really be special.” — Bene