Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2020 47 2020 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE It's a little bittersweet, but everyone is excited to move on to the next chapter. "I can get a tan now and come back and enjoy it when I'm home." Off the field, Mills is musically inclined, using the guitar and an electric drum set as an escape from the grind of academics and football. These interests should serve him well as he navigates his freshman year at Notre Dame. For as talented as Mills is, it will still be difficult for him to consis- tently crack the defensive line rota- tion as a true freshman given the re- turning depth at end and tackle. The entire three-deep at tackle is back in 2020, and there is plenty of talent at defensive end, including presumed starters and graduate students Ade Ogundeji and Daelin Hayes. This transition can be difficult for players who have always been the best on their teams the majority of their careers. But this year Mills ex- perienced his first-ever somewhat se- rious football injury while making a tackle for loss in week two of his high school football season, thus missing five weeks with an ankle sprain. He used his time wisely, remained an engaged member of the team and grew as a leader. "Being Rylie, he did everything he possibly could to get himself back, but it was about five weeks," Kerr said. "But what did he do during that entire time? He went to every single practice. He watched film with the younger defensive linemen, so when they're in their position group meet- ings and they've got the Hudl up on a big screen TV, he's up there making suggestions to the younger defensive linemen." He's now the younger player as an early enrollee freshman at Notre Dame. Fortunately, he's experi- enced firsthand how important it is to develop and work on his craft, even if he's not playing consistently, whether that be on the scout team or in the film room. ✦ Rivals rated Mills as a four-star talent, the No. 3 player in Illinois, and the No. 9 strongside defensive end and No. 154 overall prospect in the country. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL RYLIE MILLS DEFENSIVE END 6-4½ · 250 LAKE FOREST LAKE BLUFF, ILL. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 154 9^ 3 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 141 15 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 325 12^ 5 ^ Ranked as a strongside defensive end STATISTICS • Recorded 32 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, four sacks and seven quarterback hurries as a 2019 senior. • Notched 37 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2018. NOTABLE • Born on Jan. 5, 2002 • 2019 Pioneer Press All-Area Football Defen- sive Player of the Year • 2019 News-Gazette All-State first-team defense • 21st Annual EDGYTIM/Rivals.com Illinois All- State Team (2019) • 2019 Maxwell Football Club National High School Defensive Player of the Year watch list • 2019 Lake Forest High Defensive MVP • No. 1 on The Chicago Sun Times' 2019 pre- season list of the top 10 defensive players in the Chicago area • 2018 Lake County News-Sun Football All- Area first-team defense • Also participated in track and field at Lake Forest, competing in the shot put and discus • From the same high school as Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees ALL-STAR GAMES • Did not play in a postseason all-star game RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on May 6, 2019 and enrolled at Notre Dame in January 2020. • Took official visits to his final three of Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin in the spring before selecting the Fighting Irish. • Held offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia and many others. • Recruited by defensive line coach Mike Elston and quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees. • Visited Notre Dame a couple times before adding an offer from the Irish on Feb. 7, 2018. 2020 PROJECTION • Will likely redshirt, but could play at end if called upon in 2020. THEY SAID IT Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees: "It was really cool to get back into my hometown and my area and see Rylie grow and mature un- der Coach [Chuck] Spagnoli." Lake Forest head coach Chuck Spagnoli: "Rylie is obviously physically very, very gifted. He's what you hope a defensive lineman would look like. He has an incredibly good motor and is a great competitor. His effort is as good as we have and probably as good as we've ever had. His physical ability is exceptional. I really don't have enough good things to say about him." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "One of the top three prospects in the state of Illinois, Rylie must be double-teamed at all times. He plays DE in high school, but could wind up playing either DE or DT in college. Rylie is a long-limbed, athletic edge rusher who has the flexibility to bend around the edge. He knows how to use his length, strong hands and great size to his advantage. He sets the edge effectively against the run as well, dominates everyone he goes up against and has not realized his full potential, which is scary." "We're both Lake Forest alumni and it's cool we both came from the same place and we both really understand what it's like living in Lake Forest and playing football [at Notre Dame]." MILLS ON IRISH OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TOMMY REES