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What is Stanford getting in Davis Mills?

Few people in football know new Stanford commit Davis Mills as well as his longtime quarterback coach, Tony Ballard. The two have been working together since Mills was in seventh grade.

In fact, Ballard, who works with a number of the nation's top prep quarterbacks, was the first person who informed this reporter of Mills' potential. Ballard sent me a message 18-plus months ago asking that I keep an eye out for a then-unheralded Georgia quarterback a few games into his sophomore year of high school.

Ballard was right. And he thinks Stanford is poised to reap significant benefits from Mills in the next few seasons - on the football field, of course - but off of it as well.

"He's first class, obviously his parents are first class as well," Ballard said. He's a great kid - one of those kids that you're definitely not going to have to worry about where we see now with character, integrity in the classroom being an issue or off the field (concerns). Those are the things that you don't have to worry about. He's a kid who is a lot different than the average kid. He doesn't really care about the spotlight. He lets his actions speak for themselves. He's one of those kids who would rather be about it than speak about it. High academics, obviously. He scored a 30 on the ACT.

"That tells you what type of kid that you're getting. And he's not a kid that you try to figure out whether he's going to class or is he doing the right things. He's an all-around great kid, very humble - a very humble young man. Just being around him since the seventh grade has been absolutely awesome."

As evidenced by his lengthy offer list and lofty ranking, Mills has plenty of ability on the gridiron, as well. Perhaps his strongest asset has little to do with his ability to throw the ball, however. Ballard lauds Mills' grasp of the mental side of the game and his intelligence and knowledge of the intricacies of the quarterback position.

"He's as smart as they come at that position," Ballard said. "When I say as smart as they come, the cerebral part. Davis does things on the football field you just can't teach. A lot of people try to give me credit in terms of his development, but there are some things that God just gave him. He just absolutely blessed that young man. I think that his instincts and his understanding of how the position is being played are kind of what separate him a lot more than people understand. How to throw guys open, his timing, he definitely understands timing plus ball placement... that's his overall thought process.

"I just think that he has the complete package. There are a lot of kids that are athletic as they come. There are a lot of kids who have strong arms. There are a lot of kids who understand the game but don't have the physical tools. I think Davis has all of them. He is one complete package.

"And that's kind of scary, to be very honest. Because it's almost like it's too good to be true. But on the same token, getting with somebody that's going to help him develop for today as well as tomorrow is a big key to him and I think Shaw and Pritchard, those guys will be an absolutely perfect fit to help that young man in his development after high school."

Mills is ranked as the nation's No. 2 pro-style passer by Rivals.com, and many view him as a pure pocket thrower. But while the Greater Atlanta Christian Standout might be at his best as a dropback passer, he's also more than capable of doing damage with his legs.

"Davis is a tremendous athlete that people may not know about," Ballard said. "When I say a tremendous athlete, remember this: He played baseball. He's played multiple sports growing up in high school and middle school. He sat out last year for basketball because he wanted to get bigger, faster, stronger, and it took him to a whole 'nother level going into his junior year. He's very athletic.

"All you have to do is look at the film. His pocket awareness, his presence, is unreal. And he's not afraid to tuck it and run. He understands that he's definitely a pocket passer. But what he brings to the table is that he understands is that on 3rd and 5 if he has to tuck it and get those five yards, he will. I think that's the thing that people don't really understand about Davis is his athletic ability. Growing up he was a safety has well. He played quarterback and he played safety in the rec leagues, in middle school. And Davis wasn't afraid to hit you, he wasn't afraid to get downhill and use his athletic ability to do whatever he needed. Those are the things that people don't now about this kid - they just think he's a pure pocket quarterback a passer, but he's not. He has the (ability) to be able to run as well."

All told, Ballard thinks Mills' skill set is an ideal match with Stanford's offensive scheme and strategy.

"I think it's a perfect fit," Ballard said. "I've always said, for years, even when I told you back years ago about Davis, and I spoke to a lot of people about this kid... his sill set for that offense is perfect.

"He has the freedom at his high school to do the checks and change the protections, things of that nature. So the development in high school will definitely help him to what Stanford needs. Obviously it's a couple notches above because they're running a pro-style offense of that nature, but I think it translates very well. I think it's the perfect fit. He's the guy - he can do any of those things that he needs to do. Obviously he's going to have to get the teaching first... but what better way to learn from a system like that."

Mills chose Stanford over dozens of offers from other top programs. Michigan, Michigan State (his father's alma mater), Georgia, Miami, UCLA and many others were involved at various points in Mills' recruitment.

Stanford's approach to Mills' recruitment helped the Cardinal win over the Rivals100 prospect.

"Davis is one of those kids that doesn't really take recruiting like the average kid who wants all of the attention and all of that kind of stuff," Ballard said. "He's the kind of kid that he believes you are a man of word, say what you mean and you mean what you say."

"Their actions proved that they wanted him - they've been out to see him. Pritchard has been to see him. Davis has been to camp, Davis has been to Junior Day. I think that when you have that gut feeling that somebody has your best interests at heart, that someone really cares about you and they love you - everybody likes you, but who loves you? Who is willing to join hands and say we're going to do this thing together?

"I think those were the keys to him saying, 'I do' to that school."

"There are three things that Stanford does and that is No. 1, bar none, they're second to none in terms of academics. How difficult do you think it is for a kid or a parent to say no to Stanford? That's difficult to say no. So in terms of the academics, that's one.

"In terms of who Coach Shaw and Coach Pritchard are, they're two... the type of men that they bring to that school and they develop at that school. And if Davis gets blessed with the opportunity to play at the next level, look at the guys that they've developed. Look at the guys that have come out of that program at the quarterback position, from Hogan to John Elway to Andrew Luck. The list goes on of guys who have played that position and have been successful at the next level.

"And let's be honest here, if you live in Palo Alto... it's awesome there. And if you can play you're get an opportunity to play, you're going to get a chance to play. There's no doubt in my mind this kid will have an opportunity to play at that level and that school and we'll see what happens."

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