Bellflower High's Austin Miller Looks To Be Southland's Next Great Receiver

Third successful a bid of stories profiling apical precocious schoolhouse shot players by position. Today, Austin Miller, Bellflower receiver.

Dozens of assemblage shot recruiters walking successful their rental cars to powerhouse St. John Bosco person learned there’s a caller must-stop spot connected nan measurement to Bellflower.

“Don’t travel done Bellflower and not travel done Bellflower,” is nan motto of Bellflower High, wherever nan emergence of 6-foot-5, 200-pound sophomore receiver Austin Miller is proving to beryllium arsenic charismatic arsenic a extremity astatine In-N-Out.

“Bosco is simply a awesome program, but we don’t return a backseat to anyone,” said nan 15-year-old Austin , whose father, Keith, is nan caput coach. “We’re present to put Bellflower connected nan map.”

Videographers covering Bellflower games cognize Austin is tin of dong thing spectacular astatine immoderate infinitesimal because of his speed, size, athleticism and jumping ability. He caught 35 passes for 609 yards and 8 touchdowns arsenic a freshman. He rushed for 885 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had 4 sacks and 35 tackles.

Imagine nan item films coming this play pinch added spot and a maturing body.

He’s been fed hundreds of footballs from a Jugs instrumentality to create hands that don’t driblet passes. He has nan size and physicality of a tight end, which creates mismatches pinch smaller cornerbacks. He has nary sympathy.

“As a receiver being bigger than everybody, you play to your advantage,” he said.

Because he has been playing aggregate sports since he was young, versatility is his superpower, allowing him to drawback passes, block, sack quarterbacks from nan separator aliases play immoderate position his begetter needs him to play.

Just proceeding him picture nan value of blocking arsenic a receiver shows nan effect having a coach arsenic a begetter has had connected him.

“My dada taught maine staying low, driving done your hips and making judge you artifact for your teammates for illustration they artifact for you,” he said. “For receivers, sometimes you watch nan play alternatively of doing your job. The biggest point is putting your man successful nan dirt. Being bigger receiver, taking interaction and delivering interaction is simply a large point for me.”

Austin is 1 of those uncommon teenagers who looks and acts for illustration personification destined to scope nan highest level imaginable because of his beingness gifts and intelligence outlook. He committed to Ohio State successful June moreover though he has 3 seasons near of precocious schoolhouse football. His goals are high, and he feels nan Buckeyes are nan cleanable landing spot to fulfill his dreams.

Austin Miller, a 15-year-old sophomore receiver, is helping bring attraction to Bellflower’s shot program.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

His parents wanted thing to do pinch nan spirit of nan month, holdbacks. It has go truthful communal that astir presume a apical freshman aliases sophomore are holdbacks, which intends repeating a people aliases 2 to look for a competitory advantage successful precocious school.

Austin welcomes title of immoderate and each ages, seeing it arsenic a worthy situation and a way that will only make him better. He surely much than held his ain arsenic a 14-year-old playing against immoderate 19-year-olds.

To understand his journey, you person to spell backmost years and visualize nan segment from his days arsenic an 11-year-old.

“We’d aftermath up, spell to shot practice, spell to hoops practice, spell to shot practice, past activity retired more,” he said.

Keith Miller wanted nan chance to go a caput coach aft being an adjunct to his brother, Jason, who’s coached astatine Bellflower, Verbum Dei and Leuzinger among his stops. With Austin and his talented friends serving arsenic nan early believers, Miller is trying to build a programme from nan crushed up.

“The assemblage coaches opportunity they respect what we are doing,” Austin said. “We don’t return a backmost spot to immoderate school.”

There’s besides a small spot of pridefulness successful begetter and boy proving that talent isn’t conscionable recovered astatine apical backstage schools. When a nationalist schoolhouse kid gains akin attention, it makes him a organization leader for life.

Austin is surely headed connected that path. He’s embraced nan thought that you tin beryllium nan youngest connected a section and still beryllium 1 of nan champion done difficult work, dedication, mentation and a belief successful yourself.

Friday: Luke Gazzaniga, Santa Margarita tight end.

Receivers to watch

Nico Bland, Orange Lutheran, 6-1, 185, Sr.: Arizona State perpetrate led Lancers pinch 57 catches

Charles Davis, Westlake, 6-5, 205, Sr.: Cal perpetrate has size and speed

Quentin Hale, Corona Centennial, 6-3, 195, Sr.: USC perpetrate joins a prolific violative attack

Kingston Celifie, Calabasas, 6-0, 170, Sr.: UCLA perpetrate is moreover faster aft catching 9 TDs past season

Jack Junker, Mission Viejo, 5-10, 180, Sr.: San Jose State perpetrate mightiness person champion hands successful nan Southland

Hayden Koo, Tustin, 6-1, 170, Jr.: Has size, velocity and activity ethic to beryllium standout

Austin Miller, Bellflower, 6-5, 200, So.: Committed to Ohio State aft conscionable 1 precocious schoolhouse season

DJ Tubbs, St. John Bosco, 5-10, 175, Jr.: Can beryllium this season’s Trent Mosley by making large plays

Eli Woodard, Chaparral, 6-0, 180, Sr.: Miami perpetrate was nan entity of large recruiting conflict each summer

Blake Wong, Norco, 6-2, 170, Sr.: Brigham Young perpetrate caught 14 passes for 219 yards, 3 TDs vs. Centennial