Aubrey Miller wasn't sure he was going to be able to make the trip to Missouri's Night at the Zou Event on Saturday. But he hit the road for Columbia early that morning and it's a good thing for both parties he did. On Tuesday, Miller committed to the Tigers.
The Memphis prospect actually committed to the Mizzou coaching staff on Tuesday afternoon, but didn't release the news until 11 p.m.
"They were very pumped," Miller said of the reaction. "All the coaching staff talked to me, they were very excited."
Miller knew after Saturday's experience that the Tigers were going to be tough to beat.
"Just being here, being able to stay with the coaches, players, just walking around looking at the campus, it was beautiful and I loved it. I just feel real comfortable here," he said. "I really loved it, to be honest. I loved the campus, I loved the history they told me about, I loved the coaching staff, I loved the players I met, the food. Just coming out here being able to work and have fun."
While he had plenty of interaction with the coaching staff, it was more than that which sold Miller to continue his career in Columbia.
"When I first came, I got to talk with the coaches, but the one thing that actually popped out to me was talking to the GAs and the players. They weren’t trying to persuade me, they were being real. I don't know how to explain it.
"They were just being real. We were talking about stuff outside of football."
On the field, Miller said Missouri will use him as a hybrid outside linebacker and strong safety.
"They told me I’m a big, versatile player, I can play anything," Miller said. "I figured I’m not going to let anybody stand in my way. The position they told me to play in I figure I can dominate at that position, even as a first-year player. I like the schemes they have, I like the blitzes they showed me."
Miller was the second linebacker to commit to Missouri on Tuesday, joining fellow Night at the Zou attendee Jamal Brooks. With Georgia lineman Case Cook, the Tigers hauled in three on Tuesday and the 2017 commitment list now stands at ten for Barry Odom and staff.
Miller admitted the recruiting process had been stressful.
"It's kind of been frustrating, but just getting through it has been very peaceful. Just, actually, it was a lot of stress being released," he said. "I can say I'm 100% done."
Rivals.com Southeast Analyst Woody Wommack on Miller: "Miller is a guy that I really like as a player and someone who did very well at the Rivals Camp in New Orleans, taking home linebacker MVP over several players ranked higher than him. The one knock on him is his size and he might be hybrid linebacker/safety type in the SEC, but he flies to the ball, can cover in space and has the type of competitive attitude that fits very well at his position. He also comes from a powerhouse program in Memphis that is loaded with prospects on a yearly basis and Mizzou getting in at the school is a very smart move."
