HONORS AND AWARDS

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 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

Rylie Mills