Who is NCCU football’s Bryan Mills? Here’s where he’s projected to go in the NFL draft.
The NFL Draft starts Thursday and by the time the last player is selected on Saturday, lots of local hopefuls will begin their professional journeys.
One name Triangle sports fans might not be as familiar with is North Carolina Central cornerback Bryan Mills.
Mills, who’s from Palmdale, California, played one season for the Eagles — in 2019 — and it was a memorable one. The 6-2 cornerback was First-Team All-MEAC and led the conference with five interceptions. He also led the MEAC in total passes defended (13). In just 13 career games in Durham, Mills tied the school record for interceptions in a game after hauling in three picks against Morgan State.
When the 2020 season was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mills decided to opt-out and prepare for the NFL draft. He was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and made a name for himself during the week competing versus the top players in college football.
Mills is projected to be selected in the second or third round, meaning he is on the radar of NFL general managers. But to those in the Triangle, who is Bryan Mills?
NCCU was his only offer out of Junior College
Mills was a bit of an unknown. He played at two Junior Colleges in California before finding his way to North Carolina. Mills started at Antelope Valley College in 2017, before ending his JuCo career at College of the Canyons. So how did he settle on the Eagles?
“It was really my only offer out of JuCo,” Mills told The News & Observer. “I graduated from (College of the Canyons) in July and the next thing you know I’m moving to North Carolina on Aug. 3.”
Mills admitted he was in the dark when it came to his new school.
“I didn’t know anything,” he said. “I didn’t know they were an HBCU. I just knew it was a Division I school and somebody believed in me and gave me an opportunity.”
The fact that he’s played for so many different coaches is a bonus. In conversations with teams, Mills was told they like the fact that he’s so raw.
“I haven’t been with one coaching staff for four years,” Mills said. “They know they can mold me into a great corner.”
He’s not a fan of the ‘small school’ label
N.C. Central isn’t a Power 5 school and a lot of talent at schools in the MEAC fly under the radar. The Eagles did have two former players (Ryan Smith and Nick Leverett) win the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in February, but Mills still has to wear that “small school” label wherever he goes.
“Because you’re from a small school doesn’t mean you can’t ball at the highest level,” Mills said.
When he hears someone tag him with the small school label, Mills feels like that means he’s an underdog. He prefers to consider himself a “diamond in the rough.”
Measuring himself at the Senior Bowl
At the Senior Bowl, it’s more about the week of practice leading up to the game, than the actual game itself. Mills was always confident he could compete against anyone, but that week in Alabama last January was the ultimate measuring stick he needed to confirm it.
“It boosted my confidence even more,” Mills said. “If you can compete, you can compete and I was competing great with those players. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.”
The speed of the game didn’t catch Mills off guard at all.
“I knew how high the intensity and how high of a pace it would be,” Mills said. “So I fit right in.”
Dovonte Edwards as a mentor
Mills played in the secondary at NCCU under former N.C. State defensive back Dovonte Edwards.
After leaving the Wolfpack, Edwards played five seasons in the NFL. Having someone who played at the highest level share that experience was a blessing for Mills.
“He really poured a lot of wisdom into me,” Mills said. “He taught me at the end of the day it’s about winning your rep and technique-wise, he taught me what it’s really like to be in the league. Just getting that first-hand experience was a great opportunity.”
How, when to watch the NFL draft
When: Thursday through Saturday
Watch: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Who is NCCU football’s Bryan Mills? Here’s where he’s projected to go in the NFL draft.."
