The Tennessee Titans signed several undrafted free agents at the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft. I’m in the middle of interviewing as many of them as I can. I’ll link the previous interviews at the bottom of this post. At least one of these players is going to make the roster. Enjoy!
Former Alabama tight end Miller Forristall is one of those players. Forristall is a big red zone target that comes in at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds. Forristall showcased some athletic traits at his Pro Day by recording a 35-inch broad jump. His three-cone time of 7.01 seconds was also impressive. He caught 23 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown in his senior season.
Forristall recently spoke exclusively with Broadway Sports about how he formed a relationship with the Titans throughout the pre-draft process, what he brings to the table, and why he was excited to unite with an “almost” teammate.
JM: What was draft weekend like for you?
MF: I think that’s a stressful weekend for every prospect. You put in a bunch of work throughout the process. Your college career has now come to an end. The draft in itself is super stressful. It was awesome to see a bunch of my good friends find new homes. These are guys that I’ve played with and built a bond with. I’m pumped and excited to get an opportunity to play for the Titans.
JM: How did the opportunity with the Titans come about?
MF: I spoke with them quite a bit throughout the process. I had a couple of conversations with their tight ends coach [Luke Steckel]. I felt them out a little bit. This year’s process was a bit odd due to the pandemic. Just like last year, we couldn’t really meet with teams in-person. We had to meet through Zoom calls. Everything was socially distanced and virtual. They came to my Pro Day but couldn’t really work us out individually or meet with us. We didn’t get a combine. It all made for an interesting draft experience.
JM: What were your meetings with the Titans like?
MF: They reached out to me. Like every meeting, it was all set up the same way. We jumped on Zoom together. They asked me to talk about myself a little bit. It’s important to see how well you mesh with the coach. They talked about my film a little bit. They had watched a few games of mine. Every team wanted to get a feel for how you play, how you take in information and how you learn. That was across the board. It wasn’t just the Titans. Every team wants to get a feel for how a guy learns. Are you a coachable player? They’ve done a bunch of homework on you at that point. They’ve already spoken with your coaches. They’ve spoken to your teammates. They know more about you than they need to know (laughs). They know more about you than they can learn from you.
JM: That’s usually the case. You spoke with a bunch of teams and had similar experiences across the board. You had several offers in free agency. Why did you choose to sign with the Titans?
MF: I feel like the culture fits my style of play. I looked at the tight end room and decided that I wanted to be a part of it. I really like what they do. I love what they try to accomplish on offense. The tight end room gives me the best chance to compete for a job. That’s what it’s all about.
JM: What’s your favorite aspect of playing the tight end position?
MF: I love the versatility that comes with it. I grew up playing quarterback. That’s a position where when you get mad and frustrated, you try to press the issue and maybe it doesn’t work out so well. You play a lot worse. At tight end, you can get upset and play really physical (laughs). You can get mad and frustrated. You can stick your head in there and still play under control. We get to block. We get to catch passes. We do a bit of everything. It’s a fun position.
JM: Would you say you’re more advanced as a run blocker or as a pass catcher at this point?
MF: I’d like to say that I’ve done a bit of both. I started my career at Alabama as more of a pass catcher, and I finished it as more of a run blocker. I like to think that I’m fairly well rounded. I have to thank the coaching staff at Alabama for developing me in both areas.
JM: Alabama really utilized you as more of a blocker down the stretch as you said. What do you enjoy about that? You don’t see many old school blocking tight ends in college nowadays. It seems to me like you have that ability.
MF: I’d like to think that I’ve improved that area of my game. I’ve gotten better as a blocker as time went on. It’s definitely something I want to hone in and focus on. The physical aspect that comes with blocking, it’s a lot of fun to me. Hard-nosed football is fun. I love playing in an offense that runs the ball. Mashing peoples faces in as a blocker is a lot of fun (laughs). It’s enjoyable when you do it well. I’m going to continue to learn and grow as I become a better blocker.
JM: You said that you started out as more of a pass catcher at Alabama. You’re 6-foot-5. You’re a big target in the red zone. We’ve seen that. You caught four touchdowns in 2019. Do you think there’s some untapped potential there?
MF: I guess we’ll have to wait and see (laughs). It’s definitely something I want to continue to get better at. It’s another area of my game that can improve. I want to learn and grow. I’m always trying to get bigger, faster and stronger. I’m coming into a new place. This is my first NFL team. I’m going to learn and soak up as much as I can. I want to evolve my game at the pro level.
JM: 2020 was a strange year in the world. It was a strange year in college football. It must have been special to end the season as National Champions.
MF: It was a storybook ending for us, right? We faced so much adversity. Strange doesn’t even begin to explain the type of year it was. That’s an understatement. Coach Nick Saban said it well. He said when your best players are your best people, you’re bound to be successful. I think that was the case with us. We had great senior leadership. We had a bunch of old heads on the team that were fun to be around. We played a physical brand of football. We scored a lot of points. We had great weapons on offense. We had a terrific defense. There was no better way for me to go out and end my college career.
JM: Absolutely. What’s it like playing for coach Saban? You’re going to be coached by another good coach and strong personality in Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.
MF: Coming out of high school, I was blessed enough to receive an offer to go play for the greatest head coach in college football history. I may be biased, but it’s pretty hard to argue against at this point. I couldn’t pass up on that opportunity. I think it’s a little easier for me to appreciate it now that I’m not there anymore. I’m recently removed, but I already have a better appreciation for that period of my life. The longer removed I get, I imagine I’ll continue to have a greater appreciation for it. It was so cool. I was so lucky and blessed to play for coach Saban. The Alabama program is in a special place in its history right now. It’s tough to put into words.
JM: It really is. I don’t know how well you know the Titans roster, but is there one teammate you can’t wait to practice with and learn from?
MF: I missed being teammates with Derrick Henry at Alabama by a year (laughs). The stories of his work ethic still reverberate in that building. His style of play is something that we still talk about at Alabama. You know you’re a special talent when that happens. I’m excited to be around that. The Titans are a fantastic organization. I love how they play ball. I’m excited to try to play up to that standard.
JM: That’s great. I’ve really appreciated your time today, Miller. In closing, what are your goals and aspirations like over these next few months?
MF: I want to continue to grow and evolve as a player. I can’t control anybody else. I can only control what I can control. I’m going to put my nose to the grindstone and work my butt off. I’m going to continue to improve as a player. I’m hoping for the best here.
Previous 2021 UDFA interviews:
Justus Reed (Reed was recently released from his contract with the Titans)
