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4-star ATH Miller has options

Class of 2016 four-star athlete Malik Miller of Madison (Ala.) added Georgia, Florida State and Arkansas offers this offseason and now holds eight total - all between the SEC and ACC.
"I don't really have a top five," the 5-foot-11, 235-pound Miller said. "Before I start putting out my top schools I want to take some visits."
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Miller would like to visit Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss this season.
Don't be surprised if you see Miller roaming the sidelines for this year's Iron Bowl - he has offers from both schools. Though it may be tough to discern which team he's rooting for.
"I was more of a basketball player growing up," he said. "I didn't really keep up with football until later and when I did, I was a fan of the athletes, not the teams. I liked Julio Jones and Cameron Newton, then Mark Ingram, Nick Marshall and Ricardo Lewis and so on. It's all about the athletes for me."
While he doesn't have a leader, he admits Auburn and Alabama are standing out.
"Me growing up in Alabama, the Iron Bowl has been a big part of my life," he said. "You can have a debate every year about who's going to win. Growing up in that environment, I have respect for both schools.
"I like the Alabama and their coaching staff, the way they run things. I love how they put players in the NFL and from that aspect, they have a lot to offer.
"With Auburn, I love the whole coaching staff and they've made me feel like family since Day 1. I love the town of Auburn and it's a great academic school. And they put players in the NFL too.
"Both schools have great perks and I'm looking at both of them. Academic-wise, I want to know which is the best fit for me. I also want to know where I can get the most playing time and where I feel most at home."
Miller said schools like him for his versatility. He lines up at both running back and linebacker for Madison.
"Athlete is what I'm listed as and that's what I'm being recruited as," he said. "Every college knows what they need and I can play both sides of the ball. I don't have a preference, really. I was leaning toward offense, but at the same time, I'm totally comfortable playing defense if I have to."
Miller said he and his dad plan on making a trip to Georgia for the Clemson game next weekend.
"I've always been a fan of Georgia," he said. "I feel that offensively and defensively I can fit into that program. They hand the ball off to the running back, of course, and they recruit running backs hard. But defensively, when you look at players like Jarvis Jones at outside linebacker, I can get in that way too. I'll have to check them out first, but from the outside looking in, I like their program."
Mississippi State is another school on Miller's radar because of assistant Geoff Collins.
"Coach Collins came here a few times during the spring," Miller said. "I love the guy. He's got a great personality and I've heard so many great things about (the school) that I feel like I have to visit them before I make a decision."
Miller is also a fan of Vanderbilt and its new coaching staff led by Derek Mason.
"My family is big on academics," Miller said. "So Vanderbilt will always be a top choice for me. I love coach Mason and the staff."
Of course, Miller is open to expanding his school choices beyond the SEC and ACC. Former Alabama assistant Doug Nussmeier is now at Michigan recruiting Miller, and Miller said he's open to the Wolverines as well.
"Hopefully I can get that Michigan train going," he said.
Miller said he hopes to have his school choice decided at some point after the season.
"I'd like to have it done before my senior season," he said. "But who knows when it will be."
Adam Krohn is a Southeast Region football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.
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