On300 LB Gavin Nix declares for the Hurricanes: "They fit all the things I valued"

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Gavin Nix has made his college decision. The blue-chipper tells On3 he’s headed to Miami to play for Mario Cristobal.

Nix also strongly considered Florida State and Oregon before becoming commit No. 15 for the Hurricanes staff. 

“They fit all the things I valued throughout my process,” Nix said. “They’ve been super consistent for me. Their love for me never wavered. Throughout the whole thing Miami was always right there with me and made me and my family feel like a family.”

The community recruited Nix to Coral Gables

Future position coach Derek Nicholson was the lead recruiter for Nix but it was a community effort to land him. And it wasn’t just the coaching staff.

“One of the things that really stood out to me outside of football is they’ll help me get my life started. Miami is ever growing. They let that be known. Everything I’m interested in they were intentional in getting me connected with people and alumni. They were super intentional in connecting me with people outside of football and that was big time.”

Nix elaborated that was with real estate, broadcasting or agriculture.

Certainly the coaching staff outside of Nicholson was active from Cristobal to defensive coordinator Lance Guidry to Executive Director of Football Recruiting Stephen Field.

“Love all those guys,” Nix said. “My love for Miami starts with Coach D-Nich. He’s a real dude. Super passionate. You see him go out there and coach his guys, it’s like he’s playing too. That passionate mindset. Outside of that he’s a great man. He can help me grow as a person. He built a relationship through the recruitment. I can trust him to develop me the right way off the field. He’s a great dude. 

“Love Coach Guidry, he’s a great guy. Coach Cristobal he has a great vision for the future. The next couple years Miami will be back where they need to be. Coach Field he’s a great dude.”

The final thing that put Miami over the top was the football alumni

Nix loves the way the former players return to campus.

“What really shocked me different than any other school I’ve been to, the football alumni is always there,” Nix said. “When you visit Miami you always see some type of NFL legend and they’re real people you can go up to and talk to them and soak up knowledge. Jon Beason, Jonathan Vilma, Rohan Marley, Calais Campbell, Edgerrin James. You can just go up and talk to them and that really stuck out to me.”

The On3 Industry tabs Nix as the nation’s No. 17 linebacker and No. 153 prospect overall.

A link to the Miami class.