Welcome to Washington Dax Milne, WR BYU

[mistertim]

13 hours ago, ntotoro said:

My first assumption… he’s shifty, a great route-runner and has great hands… 😆

 

"What does Dax Milne look like?"

"What?"

"WHAT TEAM YOU FROM?"

"What??"

"WHAT AIN'T NO TEAM I EVER HEARD OF. THEY SPEAK ENGLISH ON WHAT?"

"What?"

"DESCRIBE WHAT DAX MILNE LOOKS LIKE"

"He...he's white..."

"Go on"

"He runs precise routes..."

"Does he have 'sneaky' athleticism?"

"What?"

 

*BANG*

 

"DOES. HE. HAVE. 'SNEAKY' ATHLETICISM?"

"NOOO"

"Then why are you making a point that he's white?"

"I didn't!"
"Yes you did, Brett. Yes, you did"

Edited May 2, 2021 by mistertim

[KDawg]

1 hour ago, mhd24 said:

 

 

I don't think Cam Sims makes the team (unless Brown craps the bed early).  His critical drops against Carolina and Tampa are big strikes against him.  He's got no burst.  He's a decent gunner on teams.  It'll be a dog-fight for those last two spots.  

Sims as WR5, while having a connection with Heinicke gives him a major leg up. If he and Fitz just don’t have any connection than I may side with you. 
 

But Sims as WR5 is a hell of a lot different than Sims as WR2. I think you’re underestimating him there.

 

But I am open to the fact Sims could get cut. I’d say 5/6 are winnable spots. 
 

But if I were handicapping it would be Sims first there. Then literally everyone else.

[mhd24]

1 minute ago, KDawg said:

Sims as WR5, while having a connection with Heinicke gives him a major leg up. If he and Fitz just don’t have any connection than I may side with you. 
 

But Sims as WR5 is a hell of a lot different than Sims as WR2. I think you’re underestimating him there.

 

But I am open to the fact Sims could get cut. I’d say 5/6 are winnable spots. 
 

But if I were handicapping it would be Sims first there. Then literally everyone else.

 

 

AGG may get the leg up over Sims simply because he was a 4th rounder.  I don't like it (prefer meritocracy for anyone besides rookies), but the staff may like AGG more (who is really raw).  

[KDawg]

2 minutes ago, mhd24 said:

 

 

AGG may get the leg up over Sims simply because he was a 4th rounder.  I don't like it (prefer meritocracy for anyone besides rookies), but the staff may like AGG more (who is really raw).  

I also didn’t account for Andre Carter who we all kind of overlook but plays receiver but mostly is a return guy. If he wins the return job he is going to have to take O reps somewhere. That would mean 7 receivers might be necessary to keep for some of these guys to make the roster outright.

 

Milne, unless horrible, WOULD be on the Ps though, for sure. 

[mistertim]

I don't think the connection Cam Sims has with Heinicke is going to do much for him unless he seems to have the same connection with Fitz. It would be a bit silly to keep a wide receiver on the roster just because he has a connection with your backup QB. It's definitely going to be a crowded WR room and I'm curious to see where Milne lands in relation to Sims and the other fringe guys.

[KDawg]

Just now, mistertim said:

I don't think the connection Cam Sims has with Heinicke is going to do much for him unless he seems to have the same connection with Fitz. It would be a bit silly to keep a wide receiver on the roster just because he has a connection with your backup QB. It's definitely going to be a crowded WR room and I'm curious to see where Milne lands in relation to Sims and the other fringe guys.

Read what I said again.

 

And yea, the connection with Heinicke DOES matter. If Heinicke plays he needs guys he’s comfortable with. WR5 makes sense for a guy like that (as long as, like I said in the post you just responded to, he has some sort of connection with Fitz).

 

I never said it made him a lock, by the way.

 

It gives him a leg up. C’mon guys. 

[Skinsinparadise]

I think Cam Sims has the #5 spot locked up probably.   

 

If I had to guess this.  They go with 6 receivers and that last spot is a competition between Harmon and Milne.  I think Rivera opens up the competition to all but my guess is Harmon and Milne end up putting up the strongest fight for the last spot.

 

I mentioned Milne several times on the draft thread.  He was not one of my bigger favorites but I liked him   I happened to watch more of him than most WRs because of the phase where it looked like we'd have a shot at Zach Wilson.

 

What struck me was he could seperate well and had really good/strong hands.   And made big plays.  Deep threat.    Really nice catch radius for a dude his size. 

 

Dyami had the 2nd most deep yards in this draft class last year with 543 yards.  Milne just a little behind him with 533 yards, and ranked 4th.

 

PFF is a big fan of him.  I'd guess its part of the soup why PFF loved this draft.  2.7% drop rate considering how much he was targeted is sick.

 

I also read somewhere he has high intangibles.  though in this draft that seems to go without saying.  Rivera seems really into character. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

From walk-on to superstar, Dax Milne left his mark on BYU football

Finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, Milne’s performance as a junior was sensational

 

Dax Milne may be one of the best feel-good college football stories of 2020.

Milne, who walked on at BYU out of Bingham High, is a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which will be announced Monday. It is an award given to the top college football player who started their career as a walk-on.

Milne’s symbiotic relationship with best friend Zach Wilson this past season exploded into a highlight film making production. Comeback routes, quick slants, arrow stop-and-goes, post streaks, quick outs, breakaway high point catches for TDs, and tiptoeing down the sidelines for scores. All of them were part of Milne’s repertoire to put in the vault for all time.

 

The person who will miss him most on the field is his position coach Fesi Sitake, who has helped mold Milne’s remarkable route-running talent into a bonafide game-breaker. It was Sitake who first recognized how good Wilson was while recruiting for Weber State and gave him his first offer. He also offered Milne to come to Ogden, knowing his parents and siblings, believing in him and Wilson. In Milne’s development and impact with Wilson, folks have seen the value of Sitake’s talent evaluation in 2016 through 2018.

 

To have those two pieces leave early, just when they were cooking on the front burner?

Sitake has nothing but good wishes for Milne and whatever fortune comes his way at the next level.

“Dax has had an incredible journey here at BYU,” said Sitake. “I’m so proud of the young man that he has become. He has fought through a lot in his time here. He came in as a freshman with a chip on his shoulder, anxious to prove to everyone, but most importantly himself, that he could become a BYU great. It didn’t come easy. Many know about his walk-on story. Many know about his mom’s battle with cancer. I learned so much watching Dax pursue greatness, despite the obstacles around him.

 

“I am going to miss Dax and I know BYU football will miss him, but I’m sure I speak for us all when I say I’m more excited to watch him chase his dreams,” he continued. “With his early declaration to the NFL, he’s betting on himself, just like he did as a freshman out of high school coming to BYU. I am fully supportive of Dax and his decision because he’s doing what he feels is best for him, after agonizing over the decision for so long. I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to get to know him and his amazing family. I will continue to be a Dax Milne fan as he enters this new chapter in his life.”

 

Milne’s junior season receiving yards (70 catches for 1,188 yards) ranks among the top five in BYU history behind Austin Collie (1,538), Cody Hoffman (1,248), Reno Mahe (1,211) and Andy Boyce (1,241). Those are players whose careers span three decades.

Sitake said Milne came in as a preferred walk-on and did nothing but work. Milne worked so hard Sitake said it became a “humbling experience” for him as a coach and “one of the greatest pleasures” he has derived from coaching.

 

“He’s an incredible leader and one of the reasons we were as successful as we are as a team. He pours his heart and soul into everything and you can see that if there’s a purpose behind it. I hope I can try to keep finding guys like him because he is a true difference-maker because of the kind of leader he has on the field and character he has.”

 

Former Cougar and top-ranked Texas high school receiver Ross Apo owns and operates MILE-WR Receiver Training.

Asked to break down Milne’s mechanics, Apo offered, “Dax does a great job of setting defenders up at the line of scrimmage. Recognizing the coverage and running his route accordingly seemed to help him get open a lot this past season. Dax plays with his eyes up and never gives any signals out to the defense that he’s going to cut/break.

 

“Dax displays strong hands almost every game by snatching the ball away from defenders.”

Collie remains one of the most consistent pass-catchers to ever play for BYU. His chemistry with Max Hall was legendary.

In Provo, the closest thing to compare with that Hall/Collie since Riley Nelson/Cody Hoffman and Ty Detmer/Andy Boyce, may just be Wilson to Milne.

 

He will also be known for the catch that came up one yard short against Coastal Carolina that would have preserved an undefeated season in 2020.

 

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/3/22208583/dax-milne-byu-zach-wilson-fesi-sitake-cougars-ncaa-burlsworth-trophy

Regardless of how you mark it, Milne’s impact in 2020 on BYU football was massive.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[KDawg]

Despite my... unimpressed demeanor... with the Milne pick... 

 

I do wonder if they brought him in to see if he can be Humphries after this season.

 

If that’s their intent, he will make the roster. 

[dswerdlw]

Regarding the thoughts about whether Milne or C. Sims or whomever fills the last spot or two on our WR depth chart, I do think that Rivera means what he says when he values what a player does over how he was procured. I'm thinking especially about how safety played out last year. In Rivera's mind, Apke beat out Sean Davis. Then Everett beat out Apke. The left side of our OL was a real competition as well. I don't see it happening, but Rivera could cut Humphries if he doesn't look good and Milne outplays him in the slot. Maybe Brown is our new WR2 and Samuels plays the slot. We will have solid competitions at WR, LT, LG, TE2, TE3, Slot CB, and FS. I was hoping we'd draft or sign another LB because I don't think we have substantial depth there for a real competition. 

[Est.1974]

1 hour ago, KDawg said:

Despite my... unimpressed demeanor... with the Milne pick... 

 

I do wonder if they brought him in to see if he can be Humphries after this season.

 

If that’s their intent, he will make the roster. 

Yep Rivera kind of eluded to the Humphries situation. It wouldn’t surprise me if Humphries has concussion issues that give an inside track to Milne making the team.

[Malapropismic Depository]

2 hours ago, KDawg said:

I do wonder if they brought him in to see if he can be Humphries after this season.

 

 

 

33 minutes ago, UK SKINS FAN 74 said:

It wouldn’t surprise me if Humphries has concussion issues that give an inside track to Milne making the team.

 

In that case, with the concussion issues, Milne might become Humphries this season, as opposed to next.

[CommanderInTheRye]

21 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

Cue the comparisons to every single white WR ever

 

Here's his scouting report from SuperficialSportAnalysis.com...

 

"Milne is a tough gritty performer who makes up for his lack of athletic prowess by out working and out hustling other players. Does all the little things. Smart, a real student of the game.

 

Runs like his feet are encased in cement.

 

Determined god fearing church going man with outstanding character and natural intelligence.

 

Runs like his feet are encased in cement.

 

First guy to practice every morning and the last man to leave every night. Has a lunchpail mentality. Is able to get open by outsmarting his more athletic opponents and running precise routes. Not a true game breaker but the kind of clutch guy on third down that coaches like and appreciate for their professionalism and attention to detail.

 

Runs like his feet are encased in cement.

 

He won't  be spending his first check on sports cars, gold chains, and menthol cigarettes.

 

Runs like his feet are encased in cement.

 

One of the draft's most overlooked and underated players. A true diamond in the rough."

 

/p

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by TrancesWithWolves

[Chris 44]

3 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

I think Cam Sims has the #5 spot locked up probably.   

 

If I had to guess this.  They go with 6 receivers and that last spot is a competition between Harmon and Milne.  I think Rivera opens up the competition to all but my guess is Harmon and Milne end up putting up the strongest fight for the last spot.

 

I mentioned Milne several times on the draft thread.  He was not one of my bigger favorites but I liked him   I happened to watch more of him than most WRs because of the phase where it looked like we'd have a shot at Zach Wilson.

 

What struck me was he could seperate well and had really good/strong hands.   And made big plays.  Deep threat.    Really nice catch radius for a dude his size. 

 

Dyami had the 2nd most deep yards in this draft class last year with 543 yards.  Milne just a little behind him with 533 yards, and ranked 4th.

 

PFF is a big fan of him.  I'd guess its part of the soup why PFF loved this draft.  2.7% drop rate considering how much he was targeted is sick.

 

I also read somewhere he has high intangibles.  though in this draft that seems to go without saying.  Rivera seems really into character. 

 

 

 

 

Who in your opinion is returning punts/ kicks?

[Dark Acre]

4 hours ago, KDawg said:

I also didn’t account for Andre Carter who we all kind of overlook but plays receiver but mostly is a return guy. If he wins the return job he is going to have to take O reps somewhere. That would mean 7 receivers might be necessary to keep for some of these guys to make the roster outright.

 

Milne, unless horrible, WOULD be on the Ps though, for sure. 

Dude was a good, but misused, DE.  Wait, wrong Andre Carter.  Given how few bright slots we've had the last quarter-friggin'-century, this name means something specific to me.

Was Dax was named after a Star Trek character?  Too lazy to look it up.

[Skinsinparadise]

17 minutes ago, Chris 44 said:

Who in your opinion is returning punts/ kicks?

 

Danny Johnson was their best by a mile kick returner.  He started to return punts too.  Maybe him assuming he makes the roster

[Malapropismic Depository]

22 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

Cue the comparisons to every single white WR ever

 

 

Bleacher Report's Pro Comparison for Dax Milne, was this guy :

DaeSean Hamilton

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2940294-dax-milne-nfl-draft-2021-scouting-report-for-washington-football-team-wr

 

I can see why.

Striking resemblances

 

 

1 hour ago, Chris 44 said:

Who in your opinion is returning punts/ kicks?

 

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Danny Johnson was their best by a mile kick returner.  He started to return punts too.  Maybe him assuming he makes the roster

 

Scouting report says Milne can return punts.

That could be the factor that locks him into the final roster spot

Edited May 2, 2021 by Malapropismic Depository

[CommDownMan]

19 hours ago, Malapropismic Depository said:

 

Ha. True it is.

How much earlier ? 1 pick...2 ?

 

Just early enough they won't feel obligated to mention he was Mr.Irrelevant every time he makes a catch. 

[Ball Security]

2 hours ago, Chris 44 said:

Who in your opinion is returning punts/ kicks?

Carter if they can find a roster spot for him.  Easier to do with the number of guys with “position flex.”

 

Cam Sims also covers on punt teams.  I think he has an easier route to make the team than the other non Terry, Curtis, Brown, and Humphries guys.

[CommanderInTheRye]

From Brugler’s pre-draft player analysis report:

 

 

 

 

33. DAX MILNE | BYU 6005 | 193 lbs. | JR. South Jordan, Utah (Bingham) 6/23/1999 (age 21.85) #5

BACKGROUND: Dax Milne grew up in the Salt Lake Valley and attended Bingham High School, where he was part of three state titles in football and two in basketball. After becoming a starter at wide receiver and cornerback as a sophomore (at only 150 pounds), he led Bingham to back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior. Milne finished his final season with 619 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 31 tackles, seven passes defended and one interception in 2017. He was a point guard on the basketball team.

A no-star recruit out of high school, Milne went under-recruited and didn’t receive much interest from Division I programs. He received a scholarship offers from FCS- level Weber State, but he chose to take a preferred walk-on opportunity at BYU. And that bet paid off as Milne earned a scholarship during his freshman year. His father (Darren) was a walk-on outfielder on the BYU baseball team (1989-91) and was picked in the 19th round of the 1992 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, playing four seasons in the minors. After his productive 2020 season, Milne decided to leave school early and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.

YEAR (GP/GS)
2018: (10/3) 2019: (13/0) 2020: (12/10) Total: (35/13)
REC YDS AVG TD NOTES
10 69 6.9 1
21 285 13.6 2
70 1,188 17.0 8 Led team in receiving 101 1,542 15.3 11

HT WT ARM HAND WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP COMBINE N/A (Combine canceled)
PRO DAY

6005 193 29 3/8 9 3/8 74 1/4 4.56 2.70 1.57 31 9’6” 4.22 6.85 14

 

STRENGTHS: Reliable hands and natural tracking skills (3.8% drop rate in 2020)...quick to adjust, secure and put away catches, finishing strong through contact...crafty footwork to uncover at the top of routes...keeps defenders guessing due to his body language and stem work...proven threat at all three levels, especially downfield (led college football with 40 catches of 20-plus yards in 2020)...uses a subtle swipe to knock away the hands of defenders...shows a natural feel for body position to stack and cut off coverage angles...never quits working to find space and did some of his best work when the quarterback started to scramble...better blocker than expected due to his effort...former walk-on who competes with the underdog mentality...above average production in 2020.

 

WEAKNESSES: Looks smaller than his measurements...lacks ideal top-end speed to simply blow by cornerbacks with his wheels...doesn’t have the initial burst to easily shake press...wasn’t much of a YAC threat without a runway (29.8% of his career receiving yards came after the catch)...plays tough, but doesn’t have the play strength to out-muscle most NFL corners...broken tackles were scarce on his film...averaged only 4.6 yards per punt return in college...only a one-year starter and didn’t face consistent high-level cornerback play in 2020...[“Runs like his feet are encased in cement.” (Just testing to see if anyone actually bothers to reads this.) lol]

SUMMARY: A one-year starter at BYU, Milne lined up across the formation in former offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’ RPO-based, heavy play-action scheme. He is a former walk-on who bet on himself and became Zach Wilson’s favorite target in 2020, finishing fourth in the FBS in receiving yards (1,188). Though not an explosive athlete, Milne tears up single-coverage due to his controlled quickness and route leverage (74.3% of his catches in 2020 resulted in a first down or touchdown). He plays mistake-free football and rarely misjudges a downfield target. Overall, Milne isn’t a speed/burst player, but he is quicker than fast with dependable hands and a knack for gravitating toward open space. He projects best in the slot similar to Hunter Renfrow.

GRADE: 6th Round

Edited May 3, 2021 by TrancesWithWolves

[FootballZombie]

Methodically consistent about attacking balls in the air with this hands. Even passes that would hit him in the numbers he reaches out and snatches rather than letting it come all the way into the body. Gives him a bit more of a constant catch bubble, rather than a catch radius.

 

Also gives him a fraction of a second more time to get down if needed on crossing routes, something he seems to already know to do.

 

If he can start attacking balls with his whole body as well when the situation arises, he will be pretty good at contested catches on the NFL level.

 

[LetMeSeeYourWarFace21]

On 5/2/2021 at 10:23 AM, mistertim said:

 

"What does Dax Milne look like?"

"What?"

"WHAT TEAM YOU FROM?"

"What??"

"WHAT AIN'T NO TEAM I EVER HEARD OF. THEY SPEAK ENGLISH ON WHAT?"

"What?"

"DESCRIBE WHAT DAX MILNE LOOKS LIKE"

"He...he's white..."

"Go on"

"He runs precise routes..."

"Does he have 'sneaky' athleticism?"

"What?"

 

*BANG*

 

"DOES. HE. HAVE. 'SNEAKY' ATHLETICISM?"

"NOOO"

"Then why are you making a point that he's white?"

"I didn't!"
"Yes you did, Brett. Yes, you did"

 

You killed that LMAO!!!!!!!! 

[Skinsinparadise]

If I recall at one point on the draft thread I ironically called Milne a poor man's Dyami Brown.    The reason being is he was good at tracking the deep ball and making big plays.  Like Dyami he's a decent blocker.  Dyami though is more explosive and has better speed/suddeness.

 

Wouldn't shock me if Milne develops into a good slot WR.  He has great hands, looks like a smart route runner.  BYU played him in all three receiver spots and at times in the backfield.

 

I just rewatched 2 of his college games and it reminded me why I liked him.    His limitations IMO is he's not really fast or elusive.  So he's from what i've watched pedestrian as a YAC guy and it won't be as easy for him to make big plays down the field in the pros.  But he can seperate, run a variety of routes and he has great hands, he doesn't drop passes by and large.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Going Commando]

Sure they look similar, but could Dax Milne really match the level of polish that Hunter Renfro gained over his 12 seasons at Clemson?