A journey and a dream: Bodpegn Miller's path to Ohio State commit started across the globe

COLUMBUS — Bodpegn Miller always dreamed of one day putting on the scarlet and gray, running out of the south tunnel in Ohio Stadium and being a Buckeye.

It’s what most young Ohioans dream of and, make no mistake, Miller is an Ohioan. But his journey from small-town phenom to Ohio State wide receiver commit didn’t start in Mansfield.

It started in Ethiopia.

Miller is from the Gambela Region in Ethiopia, close to the South Sudan border, and is a member of the Anuak tribe. For the first five years of his life, he played soccer. He wasn’t always playing with a soccer ball, though. Sometimes he used a wad of socks with a few T-shirts tucked in. Sometimes he used loose trash lying around. It didn’t matter to him, nor his brothers and sister — he was an athlete from the start.

Except, he didn’t know about Ohio State, or what it was, until he met his adoptive parents.

A dream born.

The Journey Begins

Alan and Deanna Miller knew they wanted more children. They already had three — Abby, Bryce and Grace — but their hearts yearned to grow their family.

Careers had taken off for both Alan, a self-made businessman, and Deanna, a nurse practitioner, so the idea of another biological child was not in the cards. That’s when the idea of adoption popped up. And that’s when they discovered their son, Bodpegn.

The Millers made their first trip to Africa to meet Bodpegn and instantly fell in love.

“We were there for about a week going through the adoption process in Ethiopia, and after it was approved, leaving there was one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do,” Alan Miller told Lettermen Row. “We went back six weeks later and brought him home.”

On that return trip to Eastern Africa, the Millers brought their son back to the guest house they were staying in and bathed him. His first outfit as a Miller? An Ohio State jumpsuit.

Bodpegn arrived in the United States on Sept. 28, 2012, just two days before he turned 6.

A dream begins.

Lift Off

Language and food: Those were the most difficult adjustments for Bodpegn when he arrived in Ohio.

Fitting in was a little easier. He was a natural athlete but a shy boy. Playing sports on the playground is always a unifier, no matter the background.

“We were really fortunate with him,” Alan said. “When you go through the adoption process, you have a caseworker after six months, and they come in and check for the first three years to see how everything is going. She told us she’s been doing this for over 20 years, and this was the smoothest transition she had ever seen.”

“The hardest thing was the language, definitely,” Deanna said. “He was also a pretty picky eater growing up, but there were always certain things we knew he would eat.”

While language and food were the biggest challenges, there were other things that he struggled with, too. He’d receive gifts from his new family, and he wouldn’t understand that those presents were all his — he didn’t even know how to open one at first. Occasionally, he’d play with a toy, but he’d usually keep it in his closet.

The language barrier made learning difficult initially but fast-track 11 years later, and Bodpegn is a few credits away from an associate’s degree as a high schooler.

His big assimilation into his new surroundings was through sports. He played youth soccer and emerged as an impressive talent after his formative years almost 7,500 miles away.

While soccer was his first sport, Bodpegn was quickly introduced to American football.

A dream taking off.

Taking Stride, Taking Notice

He started playing in the third grade, and he never slowed down. He always seemed to have the ball in his hands. When Bodpegn got to the high school level, that’s when things really started to change.

His body started growing. He got stronger, he got faster. In many cases, he was the best athlete on the field every single Friday night.

“For me, he’s always looked different than everybody else,” Ontario head coach Aaron Eckhert said. “I came to Ontario five years ago, so he was just coming into the seventh grade. And when you watched him play the first couple years later, he’s just more athletic than everybody else.”

That initial athletic ability Eckhert saw? It only got better.

“What really took off was this past year, as he grew and got long, and for someone that tall to be that quick and agile,” he said, “we’re sitting there after the season, and I’m just kind of scratching my head like, ‘Listen, I got a guy that’s way different. And [he] can do a lot of freaky things.’

“This year on the football field, he made a lot of freaky plays, not catching the ball per se, but running it and throwing it and just being an athlete.”

Bodpegn was certainly impressive during his junior season. At quarterback, he threw for 2,328 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 1,003 yards and 17 touchdowns. Programs across the country started taking notice as well.

Soon enough he announced offers from Ohio University, Toledo and a smattering of other Mid-American Conference schools. Then truly life-changing offers arrived from the Ivy League when Harvard, Penn, Yale, Cornell and Columbia came calling.

His dream, however, was always Ohio State.

Bodpegn had visited Ohio State before as a prospect. He made trips back on Nov. 11 for the Michigan State game last fall and then in April for a spring practice. That said, his big visit was on June 13 when he camped with Ohio State wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and blew him away.

Hartline had Bodpegn come back on June 18 for the Buckeyes’ annual 7v7 contest. Bodpegn represented the “house team,” and it didn’t take long for Hartline to realize he had found the next member of his room.

“If you’re good enough, they will find you,” Alan said.

Bodpegn was one of the most intriguing athletes on the fields at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center during that 7v7 event. Any ball thrown his way he caught. His separation against opposing defensive backs was noticeable. He is raw, but his ceiling is as high as you’ll find.

The Millers left Columbus with their son, an Ohio State-caliber talent, and the celebration began. It turned into a full-blown party on June 21 when he committed to the Buckeyes.

A dream came to life.

Living the Dream

Bodpegn Miller’s journey to Ohio State commit started as a child in Ethiopia.

It started in a part of the world where football is soccer. But his journey and dream took off the moment he donned that Ohio State jumpsuit as a 5-year-old with his family.

“This whole story is Godsent,” Alan said. “He’s our son, we’re mom and dad. To us, it’s no different than any other child we have.

“A lot of people will say you blessed him, but honestly, he’s blessed all of us.”

Bodpegn’s still that same quiet, young boy he was when the Millers made him their son. Only now, he’s committed to the Buckeyes. As many eyes that were on him before, there will be exponentially more during his senior season.

His journey, one that began 7,435 miles away and 12 years ago, is complete.

A dream come true.