Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Milum Looks to Continue WVU’s Recent Trend of O-Linemen Drafted by NFL Teams
April 23, 2025 10:18 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Wyatt Milum looks to continue West Virginia's recent trend of seeing its offensive linemen taken in the NFL Draft when the 90th annual event commences this week in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Beginning with Colton McKivitz in 2020, and continuing with Zach Frazier last year, Milum is expected to become the third Mountaineer offensive lineman drafted in the last five years.
All three came from within a couple hour's drive of campus, too – McKivitz from Union Local High just across the Ohio River from West Virginia's Northern Panhandle, Frazier from 25 minutes down Interstate 79 in Fairmont and Milum from Spring Valley High, outside of Huntington.
Most NFL experts have Milum pegged as the only Mountaineer player to be taken in this year's draft.
Draft expert Chad Reuter has Milum going 98th overall in the third round to the Miami Dolphins in his most recent mock draft posted last Friday on NFL.com.
Milum, projected as an offensive guard in the pros, was given a 6.24 prospect grade by the website, a grading which equates to becoming an average starter in the league.
In NFL analyst Lance Zierlein's profile of Milum, he called him "tough, strong and assignment oriented."
According to Zierlein, Milum "possesses the frame and mentality of an NFL player. It's hard to get excited about his prospects as a tackle due to his shorter arms, but there is no reason to believe Milum can't bump inside to guard and offer tackle depth in a pinch.
"He plays with heavy hands in pass protection and has ideal instincts to sniff out twists and stop them in their tracks," he added. "He's hard to bull rush or push around in the running game, but he will slip and slide off sustain blocks at times due to a narrowing base. His physical profile, play strength and football intelligence could have him ready as an early starter for gap-scheme teams."
ESPN.com, in its most recent draft projections, rates Milum the 11th-best offensive guard and the 169th best prospect overall, which would put him in sixth-round territory.
Milum, according to ESPN.com draft analyst Steve Muench, "latches on and drives defenders in the run game. He gets good initial push and release in time to cover up linebackers when combination blocking to the second level.
"Milum maintains a strong base as he kicks out to meet edge rushers, and he can power down when he anticipates inside moves in pass protection. He digs in against power rushers."
It's been five years since West Virginia has had multiple players taken in the draft. In 2020, defensive back Kenny Robinson Jr. was taken one spot ahead of McKivitz in the fifth round.
In 2019, five players were selected, headlined by third-round quarterback Will Grier.
Arizona transfer linebacker Tony Fields II (2021) and Fairmont defensive tackle Dante Stills (2023) are the only defensive players drafted since 2000.
Among other Mountaineer players, Austin Brinkman was invited to the Senior Bowl and could eventually find a spot on an NFL roster as a long snapper.
The first round of the draft begins Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET, followed by rounds two and three on Friday night at 7 p.m. Rounds four through seven will commence at noon on Saturday afternoon.
ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will once again provide live television coverage.
Beginning with Colton McKivitz in 2020, and continuing with Zach Frazier last year, Milum is expected to become the third Mountaineer offensive lineman drafted in the last five years.
All three came from within a couple hour's drive of campus, too – McKivitz from Union Local High just across the Ohio River from West Virginia's Northern Panhandle, Frazier from 25 minutes down Interstate 79 in Fairmont and Milum from Spring Valley High, outside of Huntington.
Most NFL experts have Milum pegged as the only Mountaineer player to be taken in this year's draft.
Draft expert Chad Reuter has Milum going 98th overall in the third round to the Miami Dolphins in his most recent mock draft posted last Friday on NFL.com.
Milum, projected as an offensive guard in the pros, was given a 6.24 prospect grade by the website, a grading which equates to becoming an average starter in the league.
In NFL analyst Lance Zierlein's profile of Milum, he called him "tough, strong and assignment oriented."
According to Zierlein, Milum "possesses the frame and mentality of an NFL player. It's hard to get excited about his prospects as a tackle due to his shorter arms, but there is no reason to believe Milum can't bump inside to guard and offer tackle depth in a pinch.
"He plays with heavy hands in pass protection and has ideal instincts to sniff out twists and stop them in their tracks," he added. "He's hard to bull rush or push around in the running game, but he will slip and slide off sustain blocks at times due to a narrowing base. His physical profile, play strength and football intelligence could have him ready as an early starter for gap-scheme teams."
ESPN.com, in its most recent draft projections, rates Milum the 11th-best offensive guard and the 169th best prospect overall, which would put him in sixth-round territory.
Milum, according to ESPN.com draft analyst Steve Muench, "latches on and drives defenders in the run game. He gets good initial push and release in time to cover up linebackers when combination blocking to the second level.
"Milum maintains a strong base as he kicks out to meet edge rushers, and he can power down when he anticipates inside moves in pass protection. He digs in against power rushers."
It's been five years since West Virginia has had multiple players taken in the draft. In 2020, defensive back Kenny Robinson Jr. was taken one spot ahead of McKivitz in the fifth round.
In 2019, five players were selected, headlined by third-round quarterback Will Grier.
Arizona transfer linebacker Tony Fields II (2021) and Fairmont defensive tackle Dante Stills (2023) are the only defensive players drafted since 2000.
Among other Mountaineer players, Austin Brinkman was invited to the Senior Bowl and could eventually find a spot on an NFL roster as a long snapper.
The first round of the draft begins Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET, followed by rounds two and three on Friday night at 7 p.m. Rounds four through seven will commence at noon on Saturday afternoon.
ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will once again provide live television coverage.
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