ESPN Tabs 'sleeper player' as Notre Dame football's Secret Weapon

As we get closer to the season’s first game, ESPN is laying out who it thinks the “sleeper players” are for each team in their Post-Spring Top 25. That includes the Notre Dame football team.

ESPN knows that the Irish defense is where its strength lies. And that’s also where it thinks the sleeper is going to come from. The pick makes quite a bit of sense when you think about it, since it’s a player that’s going to benefit for so many stars on the same unit.

The guy who could make some noise and really put himself on the map, according to the website, is none other than Rylie Mills.

Notre Dame football team’s sleeper player making noise upfront

“The defensive front for the Irish includes a genuine star in Howard Cross and a big-name transfer in R.J. Oben, but that shouldn't mean Mills, a fifth-year senior, gets overlooked,” David Hale wrote on the site. “He has played the past four seasons for Notre Dame, racking up 16.5 career tackles for loss. But his impact isn't always obvious on the stat sheet.”

“When he was on the field in 2023, Irish opponents mustered a woeful 4.9 yards per attempt. When the Irish didn't blitz, opponents averaged over two fewer yards per pass with Mills on the field than when he was absent.”

If there’s one reason to take issue with Mills being the sleeper, it’s that he had a very, very good 2023 season. He finished the year with 47 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also recovered two fumbles.

The only reason he’s considered a sleeper is because of the number of stars like RJ Oben, Howard Cross, Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts, among others, on the Notre Damae football defense. Mills will almost certainly have another good campaign in 2024.