#99 Rylie Mills 2023-24 Football Roster

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Watchlist for 2025 Senior Bowl
• 2024 Team Captain
• 2024 Lombardi Award Watch List
• 2023 Notre Dame Fr. Lange Iron Cross Award
• 2023 Shrine Bowl ‘Breakout Defensive Player of the Week’ – at Duke
• 2023 The Athletic Freaks List – No. 10

AS A GRADUATE STUDENT (2024)

• at TEXAS A&M (8/31): Started on the defensive line for the Irish… tallied two tackles – a solo tackle and one assisted
• NORTHERN ILLINOIS (9/7): Started on the defensive line… led the DL side with 63 snaps played on the defensive line… collected four tackles, three assisted and one solo… hit 100 career tackles… registered a QB hurry
• at PURDUE (9/15): Started on defense… had a solo tackle… quarterback hurry in the second quarter led to an interception and pick-six by the Irish
• MIAMI UNIVERSITY (9/22): Started on defense for the Irish… collected three tackles – two assisted, one solo
• LOUISVILLE (9/28): Started on the defensive line in the victory… registered four tackles – two solo and two assisted… had a shared sack for a loss of five yards
• STANFORD (10/12): Started on the defensive line for the Irish… collected four tackles – two solo, two assisted… registered a sack for a loss of 11 yards
• at GEORGIA TECH (10/19): Started on defense… also competed on special teams… had 1.5 sacks for a combined loss of 12 yards… added a quarterback hurry… registered three tackles – two solo, one assisted
• at NAVY (10/26): Started on defense… tallied an assisted tackle
• FLORIDA STATE (11/09): Started on the defensive line… collected five tackles – three solo, two assisted… registered one quarterback hurry… recorded a career-high three sacks
• VIRGINIA (11/16): Started for the Irish on defense… collected four tackles – three assisted, one solo

AS A SENIOR (2023)

• Played and started in all 13 games in his senior season … Finished the season with 47 tackles, 22 solo … Added 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks … Earned four quarterback hurries and recovered a pair of fumbles
• NAVY (8/26): Made his season debut against the Midshipmen in Dublin, Ireland … Totaled two solo tackles in the win … Added his first sack of the season, dropping Navy for a 10-yard loss
• TENNESSEE STATE (9/2): Recorded a pair of solo stops in the victory
• at NORTH CAROLINA STATE (9/9): Added a pair of assisted tackles in the win … Finished with a quarterback hurry
• CENTRAL MICHIGAN (9/16): Finished with five solo tackles in the victory
• OHIO STATE (9/23): Had four tackles, two solo in the contest
• at DUKE (9/30): Named Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week … Earned seven assisted tackles in the win
• at LOUISVILLE (10/7): Recorded five tackles, one solo
• USC (10/14): Finished with three tackles, two solo … Added a half sack for a five-yard loss
• PITTSBURGH (10/28): Finished with a solo tackle, a four-yard tackle for loss in the victory
• at CLEMSON (11/4): Recorded a career-best with eight tackles in the contest … Five solo tackles … One tackle for a loss of three yards … Recovered a fumble with just under two minutes remaining in the contest
• WAKE FOREST (11/18): Finished with a pair of tackles, one solo in the win … Added a tackle for loss … Recovered a fumble to vie the ball to the offense to start the second half
• at STANFORD (11/25): Recorded four tackles, two solo … Added a sack for a four-yard loss … Earned a quarterback hurry
• OREGON STATE – TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL (12/29): Recorded two assisted tackles in the victory … Added a quarterback hurry

AS A JUNIOR (2022)

• OHIO STATE (9/3): Started on the defensive line. Finished with three tackles
• MARSHALL (9/10): Finished with three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. TFL came with 10 minutes remaining, forcing a third and long for the Marshall offense
• NORTH CAROLINA (9/24): Tallied five tackles, 2.5 for loss. Recorded two sacks, one in the first quarter and another in the second half bringing his career total to 5.5.
• STANFORD (10/15): Finished with three tackles, two solo.
• UNLV (10/22): Recorded an assisted tackle, good for a half tackle for a two-yard loss.
• Clemson (11/5): Finished with two stops, one solo in the top 10 upset of the Tigers
• Navy (11/12): Added an assisted tackle against the triple option
• Boston College (11/19): Recorded two assisted tackles in the win
• South Carolina – TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (12/30): Finished with four tackles, adding 1.5 TFLs and a 10-yard sack in the program’s 20th bowl game victory.

AS A SOPHOMORE (2021)

• Appeared in all 13 games for the Irish this season; Finished with 16 total tackles, eight solo, including 3.0 sacks – tied for the fourth highest total on the team
• FLORIDA STATE (9/5): Made his first career sack in Notre Dame’s season-opening win against the Seminoles
• VIRGINIA TECH (10/9): Collected three stops in the 32-29 win over the Hokies
• VIRGINIA (11/13): Set personal bests four tackles, one solo, and 2.0 sacks in the 28-3 victory
• Recorded at least one tackle against Wisconsin (9/25), Cincinnati (10/2), Southern Cal (10/23), North Carolina (10/30), Navy (11/6) and Stanford (11/27)

AS A FRESHMAN (2020)

• Appeared in nine games for the Irish during his rookie season, and made his first career start in the CFP Semifinal against Alabama; Finished the year with seven tackles, two solo, 2.0 TFLs and 0.5 sacks
• GEORGIA TECH (10/31): Posted two tackles, the first of his career, in the 31-13 win
• BOSTON COLLEGE (11/14): Earned 0.5 TFL (-3 yards) in the 45-31 win
• NORTH CAROLINA (11/27): Notched two tackles and 0.5 TFL in the 31-17 win at the No. 19 Tar Heels
• SYRACUSE (12/5): Posted 1.0 TFL in the 41-25 regular season finale win over the Orange
• ALABAMA – Rose Bowl (1/1): Made his first-career start, posting one tackle, in the CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game (1/1/21).

PREP AND PERSONAL

• A four-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN.com
• No. 161 overall player nationally, No. 9 strong-side defensive end nationally and No. 3 player from Illinois by Rivals (5.8 Rivals rank)
• No. 164 overall player nationally, No. 8 strong-side defensive end nationally and No. 4 player from Illinois by 247Sports.com
• No. 139 player nationally, No. 8 overall player regionally, No. 14 defensive end nationally and No. 2 player from Illinois by ESPN.com (83 Scout Grade)
• In just seven games in 2019, posted 45 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks
• Was named to the 2019 News-Gazette All-State football team
• Played for coach Chuck Spagnoli at Lake Forest
• Also participated in track and field, competing in the shot put and discus
• Enrolled early at Notre Dame, beginning in the spring semester of 2020