Joining Brayden Millick for his college signing to play football at Franklin is, from left sitting down, his brother Trenton Millick, mother Starr Millick and sister Paige Millick; back row is father Brandon Millick, coach Barry Hall and head coach Reed May.
Dylan Wallace | The Tribune
Brownstown Central’s Brayden Millick was never sure if he wanted to play college football.
It was a decision that he went back-and-forth on a lot during his four years as a Brave. But when his senior season ended last November in the sectional championship game at Lawrenceburg, Millick knew he wasn’t ready to let football go.
“At the end of the season, it kind of hit, like, ‘man, I really enjoy playing this,’” Millick said.
Last winter, members of the Franklin College football program took a visit to Brownstown, and that was when Millick came into contact with some of their coaches.
He toured Franklin in the middle of January, and pretty quickly after the visit, Millick decided he wanted to go there.
“I absolutely loved it,” he said. “They offered me and I just had to accept it.”
Millick officially signed his national letter of intent to play football at Franklin last Tuesday at Brownstown Central High School, surrounded by his friends, family and coaches.
“They have a really good academic program and really good athletic program,” Millick said.
Millick played football all four years for the Braves. He originally started out as a running back, but he was moved to center his sophomore season.
“It was a big change for me,” he said. “That was something I was not used to, but I had a lot of fun on the offensive line.”
The Braves had an incredible offensive line, especially this past 2020 season.
It’s no secret Brownstown is a run-first offense, and even though teams game-planned to stop the Braves’ rushing attack, they weren’t able to do so. Brownstown finished 11-1 last season and claimed the program’s 20th Mid-Southern Conference title.
“We were all a little bit proud of the o-line this year,” Millick said. “We were pretty dominant up front and able to chip yards away and push people back.”
It helped that every member along the offensive line last season was all seniors.
“There was so much chemistry, even on the team in general,” Millick said. “We all kind of knew what the other person was doing without having to look at them.”
Millick won the mental attitude award at Brownstown’s banquet after the season ended, and he also earned academic all-state.
He said he couldn’t be more pleased with how his four years as a Brave turned out.
“We have such a great coaching staff and they really do care for us,” Millick said. “The player bonds are great, we’re all super close. It’s a lot of work for sure, but it’s all really worth it at the end.”
Franklin College isn’t recruiting Millick to play along the offensive line, though. They aren’t recruiting him to play his original position of running back, either.
Instead, they’re recruiting Millick to play tight end, which is a position he’s never solely played.
However, Millick believes it’s a perfect hybrid position that combines the two skills he’s had experience with in the past.
“I think hat’s probably the best fit for me,” he said. “I’ve played on both sides. I can block very well and I can do what the skill position players do, and I think that’ll be a good way to show my talent and bring it together.”
Millick will get to play with former Brownstown teammate Derek Thompson at Franklin. Thompson is a running back who will be a junior this season.
Millick plans to study biomedical sciences at Franklin and wants to apply to med school and become a surgeon, which has been a passion of his ever since a young age.
Millick said it’s a stress reliever having his college signing behind him, and he’s glad Franklin is close to home so his family can come to his games.
“I think that’s the awesome part is they’ll be able to come to every single game and be able to watch,” he said.
Millick will run sprints and throw spot put and discus this spring on Brownstown’s track and field team before reporting to Franklin in July for summer workouts. He’s doing everything he can to be ready for when he gets to Franklin.
“I’m doing a lot of sprinting workouts, and I lift at least four to five days a week,” he said. “I try to do everything I can in terms of strength and conditioning, just getting myself ready.”