When talking about Notre Dame football and the 2025 NFL Draft, there has been a ton of focus on the likes of Riley Leonard and Xavier Watts and Benjamin Morrison. There would have been a time when Rylie Mills would have gotten quite a bit more word of mouth.
Mills, a stellar defensive lineman for the Fighting Irish had his 2025 season interrupted when he tore his ACL. He tore it late enough in the year as a matter of fact that what was really interrupted was his ability to get ready for the draft. And now he sits and waits and hopes that some NFL team will take a long look at him.
“It’s not my favorite part,” the former Notre Dame football defender told Irish Sports Daily about not being able to work out for scouts as he rehabs the ACL. “I think it’s tough having to watch everyone else compete. That competitive part of me is really on fire right now. I want to get out there. I have a great support system. The best part is I go back to my tape and I can look at that, which has been helpful.”
Injury sidelines Notre Dame football standout, but NFL hopes remain strong
The 6-foot-5, 291-pounder totaled 131 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks over his time in South Bend. This year he posted 37 tackles and a career high 7.5 sacks.
Mills knows that he can’t show off what he can do on the field to prospective teams. Instead he worked with former Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser to show off how he could read offenses and lead defenses.
“It was great,” explained Mills. “I got to show what I knew. Shoutout to Jack for helping me with the coverages. I was able to go up and draw up some stuff. It ultimately helped me understand the game better. I had this free time doing rehab and interview prep, so it helped me get a better understanding and feel more confident.”
According to NFL.com’s scouting reports, Mills is a projected sixth round pick. Among his noted weaknesses are:
- Needs to feel and attack down blocks more consistently.
- Long guards can extend and widen his edge.
- Average first step and closing bursts in his rush.
With the 2025 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, Rylie Mills will be waiting a while. He’s likely not going to see his name called until the weekend. But the former Notre Dame football star just wants his shot.