All eyes are focused on the likes of Riley Leonard and Xavier Watts in the upcoming NFL Draft, but there is another former Fighting Irish star hoping to secure his future in the professional game

However, disaster struck during Notre Dame’s first round tie with Indiana on December 21, 2024, with Mills tearing his ACL in the midst of the 27-17 win and missing the following three games as a result, playing no part as the Irish defeated Georgia and Penn State to advance to the National Championship game.

It wasn’t to be for Freeman’s outfit as they fell to Ohio State in the CFP final, and Mills would wave goodbye to his teammates without having played a single minute of that heartbreaking 34-23 defeat. Having been out of action for the past four months, the 23-year-old is now hoping and praying that someone is still willing to take a chance on him.

That’s because, aside from the obvious with regards to his injury, Mills has been unable to work out at the Combine or Pro Days, instead watching from the sidelines as his competition made the most of showing NFL decision makers exactly why they should draft them. In Mills’ case, he has to hope his film speaks for itself.

It’s not my favorite part,” Mills told Irish Sports Dailyabout being unable to demonstrate his skills at the workouts. “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.”

With the realization that he couldn’t flex his athletic prowess, Mills dove headfirst into the strategic aspects of the sport, pouring hours into defensive analysis and benefitting from the insights shared by former Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser, with whom he collaborated closely to master the intricacies of coverages and schemes.

It was great,” Mills shared enthusiastically. “I got to show what I knew. Shoutout to Jack for helping me with the coverage. 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.”