Memphis' Anthony Miller drafted by the Chicago Bears

Anthony Miller sat on a couch just waiting for the word that he'd be selected by an NFL team.

He had his phone ready to go live on Instagram to capture the reaction from him. his family and a gathering that included Tigers coach Mike Norvell. And as soon as the Chicago Bears took Miller in the second round with the No. 51 overall pick Friday, Miller's phone dropped.

A rare drop for Memphis' all-time leading receiver but the noise said it all. Everyone was excited for Miller, who went from being a walk-on to a consensus All-American and now the NFL.

Miller is the first Tigers wide receiver drafted since Travis Anglin was taken in the seventh round in 2003 by the Detroit Lions. He is also the first Tigers wideout drafted in the second round since Isaac Bruce was taken by the Los Angeles Rams in 1994.

The Tigers also had a player drafted for the fifth consecutive season.

"It's been a great journey for him. He's had to earn everything that he's got," Memphis coach Mike Norvell said earlier this week.

Miller goes to a Chicago Bears team with a second-year quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky and free agent wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel.

More: Memphis' Anthony Miller pens open letter to NFL teams ahead of draft at Players' Tribune

Earlier this week, in an open letter for the Players' Tribune, Miller said he was the best wide receiver in this draft class and promised teams they would get a player not comfortable to rest on pass success.

"I’m always going to approach this game like a player with no scholarship offers," Miller wrote. "I’m going to grind the same way I did when I was a walk-on hoping for one extra practice rep."

Miller, who followed his father's footsteps playing at Memphis, proved that by ending his final two years with consecutive seasons of over 1,400 receiving yards and leaving with virtually every receiving record in school history.

He proved it at the Tigers' Pro Day by running between 4.46 and 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash just three months after suffering a foot injury in the Tigers' Liberty Bowl loss to Iowa State.

More: Anthony Miller leads strong Memphis Tigers contingency at Pro Day

Before that, he proved himself at Christian Brothers High School despite beginning his freshman year as a 5-foot-6 wide receiver. He left the school as their all-time leading receiver.

More: Memphis WR Anthony Miller earns consensus all-American honors from the NCAA

More: From walk-on to record-setter, Tigers' Anthony Miller is 2017 Memphis Sports Person of the Year

In a year where Memphis native Penny Hardaway brought excitement to the city being named men's basketball coach, Miller's selection was another moment of pride for Memphians.

"For him just to show the amount of perseverance and patience just to get to the point at the University of Memphis and have the opportunity to be that big play guy, I think that makes us all excited about him having the opportunity of going to the next level," said Kevin Locastro, who was Miller's head coach in high school.