Myles Johnson, TR Miller High School

BREWTON, Ala. — This week’s student-athlete knows what it takes to compete at the Division I level both athletically and academically.

TR Miller’s Myles Johnson is the nephew of the former SEC linebacker and is following a similar path.

The 6-foot-10 linebacker and running back has been a D1 prospect since his sophomore year. One of his first visits was to the office of Nick Saban, then Alabama’s coach. Before his junior season, he committed to the Crimson Tide.

But his heart and mind have since taken him elsewhere.

Johnson left Alabama in July and now plans to play for the Florida Gators. He says it wasn’t an easy decision, but he felt the coaching staff was equally committed to achieving his goals for the future.

“There are a few schools that stick out in my mind, Florida being one of them,” Johnson said. “That’s one of the reasons I chose the University of Florida. There are other schools like Ole Miss and Georgia that have done this as well. It was a great experience and I’m really grateful for it.”

Choosing the right school for Johnson is as much about education as it is about play time.

In science, his interests focus on engineering.

The sports star has an average rating of 4.2. He is a member of the National Honors Society, Spanish Club, Math Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He is also a youth leader at his church and is a three-sport athlete, as well as playing basketball and running track.

“I’m just trying to make as much of an impact as I can, not only athletically, but academically, and be a good person in everything,” Johnson said. “I think you reap what you sew, so whatever you give is what you get.”

“He’s superman,” head coach Brent Hubbert said. “He comes to the phone booth to participate in athletics.”

Hubbert says he met Myles in seventh grade and immediately knew he had something special.

“When you look in the dictionary for student-athlete, you see a picture of Myles Johnson,” Hubbert said.

“Unlike a lot of people who play college sports, no – it’s NIL and money, money – he’s an old school kind of guy,” he added. “Besides the fact that I can play football and continue my education, playing in the NFL would be the icing on the cake, but I decide my future.”

Johnson says he didn’t think about becoming a Gator when he was growing up. But now he knows this is his place.

“Just the crowd and the surroundings, you can feel the level of intensity,” he said. “And as I watch them run away, it gives me chills just thinking about it.”

Coach Hubbert says you have to be first in every case.

“I never thought I’d do it (chew the alligator) at Alabama, but I’ll be excited to do it for him when he runs out of the tunnel,” he said.