Hybrid defender commits to Iowa St.
Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads spoke several weeks ago on the evolution of the "hybrid defender" along the lines of current Cyclones Deon Broomfield and C.J. Morgan. And on Monday, Rhoads and ISU added a verbal commitment from a Florida defender cut from the same mold.
Brian Mills, a 6-foot-0, 195-pound athlete from Clermont (Fla.) East Ridge, said he committed to Iowa State without having ever visited campus because he and his family were convinced it was the right place for him.
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"Coach Burnham made me feel like a part of the family already with how he would talk to me and check on me and make sure I was doing okay," Mills said about ISU defensive coordinator Wally Burnham. "My family really likes it, too. I have not been there but I am visiting in a couple of weeks."
Mills said he has an official visit scheduled for the last weekend in September. Iowa State hosts Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener on Sept. 29.
Like Morgan and Broomfield for this year's Cyclones, Mills said his projected role with Iowa State is that of a hybrid defender.
"I will probably be playing like a nickel back," said Mills. "I am a safety for my high school and I also play running back. I will get bigger, so I can line up at linebacker and be a fifth DB in nickel."
Mills said that Iowa State visited his high school during the spring evaluation period and offered towards the end of May. The 3.4 GPA student is a lock to qualify. He mentioned Iowa as a school that had been showing him strong interest but had not offered him a scholarship to date.
Mills is the 16th known verbal commitment in Iowa State's football recruiting class for 2013.