Miles Sanders probably isn’t going to be a first-round selection at next week’s NFL Draft. The former Penn State running back isn’t going to be quite as attractive of a pick as some of the others that are available.

But when it comes to value, Sanders is one of Mel Kiper Jr.’s favorite players in the draft.

Kiper, an ESPN NFL Draft analyst, spoke about Sanders during Get Up! and praised the former Penn State back as a high-value draft pick. He believes Sanders could be one of the best steals of 2019.

“For value and where you’re going to get this kid, my favorite is Miles Sanders,” Kiper said. “He isn’t Saquon Barkley. Nobody really is. Saquon is special. I think Miles Sanders picked up where Barkley left off in terms of production. He’s a 211-pound back, ran 4.49, tremendous upper-body strength, fast and quick. What I Like is he can change direction, make people miss.”

While Sanders is a promising tailback, there are some concerns about his ceiling. At times at Penn State, he didn’t have quite the explosiveness you’d like out of a running back. And against better defense, he struggled to find much yardage.

Kiper addressed those concerns, saying Sanders’ struggles were mostly caused by an inconsistent offensive line.

“People say he was contained in some cases,” Kiper said. “You can’t run against a brick wall. That was a case where that Penn State offensive line didn’t always do their job moving defenders off the line. If you give this guy a little crack he can go the distance. Miles Sanders is a really good running back, who will be I think a second-round draft choice.”

Sanders rushed for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns last season and also hauled in 24 receptions for 139 yards. He didn’t have quite the versatility as Barkley — his former teammate — but he was a reliable ball carrier for the Nittany Lions last fall.

The 2019 NFL Draft will start next Thursday, April 25 and run through Saturday, April 27.