Elite 800m Runner Brandon Miller Signs With Texas A&M


In 2017, MileSplit/FloTrack profiled Brandon Miller, then a sophomore at John Burroughs High School, for its 'Prodigy' series. 

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Brandon Miller, the No. 10 ranked recruit in the Class of 2020, will be taking his talents to Texas A&M University. The St. Louis John Burroughs High School (MO) senior signed with the Aggies in front of friends and family this afternoon.

Miller, who set a freshman national class record in the 800m in 2017, chose Texas A&M over Penn State, Iowa State, Mississippi State and Oregon. In an interview earlier this year with MileSplit, he said he chose his future home because of the rich tradition in his event group. 

"Coach Mallard is a really nice guy, and he cares about me on a personal level," he said. "On my home visit, I really 'vibed' with him and I could definitely see myself running under him. He's also stayed in contact with me from the beginning and that has really resonated with me."


Texas A&M is the perfect pick for Miller for exactly that reason. The Aggies' recent success in the 800m is currently unmatched.

Last season, Devin Dixon placed second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and went on to become the NACAC U23 champion. As Dixon heads into his final season, he owns seven of the 10 best 800m performances in school history. 

In 2016, Donovan Brazier -- who won an IAAF World Championship in the 800m this summer -- set the collegiate record in his freshman year at Texas A&M in 1:43.55. 

The Aggies 2020 recruiting male recruiting class is looking to possibly be the best this year with the addition of Miller.

Miller joins Samuel Hankins, the No. 1 javelin thrower; Allon Tatsunami Clay, Asian U18 Champion in the 800m; Omajuwa Etiwe, the No. 3 400m returner; and Carter Bajoit, the No. 6 returner in the high jump. 

However, this has been a long time coming for Miller.


We first met him in 2010 when he won his first AAU Junior Olympic title in the 800m at 9-years-old. An obvious standout and household name in the summer circuit, Miller went on to win 15 additional AAU Junior Olympic titles in the 800m, 1500m and 3,000m. Miller has been able to compete at an elite level since entering high school.

As an eighth-grader, Miller ranked US No. 32 in the 800m, as he was the only athlete graduating after 2018 to be in the US top 50.

During his high school debut, Miller led the freshman class at 800m. He won his first Missouri State Track and Field Championship and went on to place third at Brooks PR -- he was the only freshman invited. Miller went on the finish his opening season with a US No. 7 time of 1:49.87 at the AAU Junior Olympics.

The following season was no different. He led the sophomore class and remained undefeated in the 800m for all of 2018. Miller won two additional state titles in the 800m and 1,600m, running 1:49.55 in his premier event for a US No. 4 effort. The mid-distance runner also came back to win Brooks PR in a close race.

Throughout his career of running a half-mile, Miller has run sub 1:52 eight times, five of them being in the 2018 season.

The senior has shown that he's capable of running sub-1:50 more than once, with his underclassman seasons featuring those efforts.

But due to an early injury in the 2019 season -- a hamstring pull -- Miller was unable to step on the track and improve his specialty even further. However, he was able to PR in the 400m in 47.42 for a US top 50 effort, which was his first open 400m since 2017.

Now, inking a deal with Texas A&M, Miller has one final season to take his 800m to new heights. The senior's sophomore effort of 1:49.55 is still leader the class of 2020, but the Missouri native is looking for more than a top spot to cement his prodigy status. 


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