Miles Strickland Says Memphis is Recruiting Him Hard

One doesn't need to look very hard to be impressed with Miles Strickland. The running back from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, has proven to be well rounded, to say the least. Colleges have taken notice, including the University of Memphis.

"I currently have ten offers, and I hope to pick up more," said Strickland.

"The three schools recruiting me the hardest are Arkansas State, Army, and Memphis.

It's no surprise that all three of the service academies have offered Strickland. He has a 3.9 GPA, and made a 23 on the ACT. Strickland is not satisfied with that score and plans to take the test again.

"I'm a quick learner, and I have a big focus on the classroom. I'm not sure of my major yet. It may be something related to math or forensics. I've also thought about some type of real estate and finance degree," said Strickland.

Success is just not limited to the classroom for the 5-foot-10, 185 pound back.

He rushed for over 1,200 yards in the 2014 season, and also put up impressive numbers in a 37-30 exhibition win over Carver last week at the Champions Challenge in Montgomery. Strickland was ranked the seventh best performer at the event by Rivals Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy.

"Strickland showed some serious versatility on Saturday. He caught the team's first touchdown on a deep gadget play and finished the game with four receptions for 61 yards. On the ground, Strickland was steady but not dominant. He recorded 69 yards on twelve carries in the team's victory and was a big part of the offense from the jump. At 5-foot-11, Strickland who scored a total of three touchdowns on Saturday, has decent size and solid power for a back that can also be a threat in the passing game. He may not be spectacular in one area, but he does a number of things well," Cassidy wrote.

Strickland is most noted for his speed. He has been timed with a 4.45 40-yard dash. He is a track star at Bob Jones and won the Alabama State Indoor Triple Jump Championship. Strickland also runs the 4 x 100, the 100 meters, and long jumps.

That ability translates to the football field. "People think I'm fast, but I also have power. I'll prove that this year when I run up the middle."

Strickland also spoke about his well documented receiving skills out of the backfield. "I was a slot receiver at Bob Jones before I became a running back. I enjoy receiving."

Miles doesn't know a whole lot of Memphis yet, but that doesn't mean the Tigers haven't been working hard for his services. "Memphis was recruiting a friend of mine, defensive end DeMarcus Clark. So my friend told them about me and he started recruiting me. He really bragged about the facilities and the coaches and told me they were people that I would want to be around. I've talked to them a lot and they have visited me, and they seem like good coaches."

Strickland hasn't taken any official visits yet to any of the schools recruiting him.

"I'll take my visits and then wait till after the season to decide."