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Report: Virginia Hosting Standout Offensive Tackle Transfer for Visit

Matt Newton

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Virginia has made significant strides this offseason to reinforce its offensive line, one of the team's top positional priorities in the transfer portal. The Cavaliers have already secured commitments from three offensive line transfers, but they're on the prowl for more. UVA is reportedly hosting offensive tackle transfer Monroe Mills, who was a standout at both tackle spots for Texas Tech before transferring to Louisville last season, for a visit on Thursday, according to a report from Allen Trieu of 247Sports.

A 6'7", 315-pound offensive lineman from Columbia, Missouri, Mills has played 2,335 snaps over the course of his college football career, but has allowed only four total sacks. An injury late in his high school career somewhat disrupted his recruitment, but Mills still drew a ton of interest from major conference programs and ultimately committed to Oklahoma State over offers from Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Rutgers, Iowa State, Kansas, and others.

After playing in just two games in his first two seasons in Stillwater, Mills entered the transfer portal and headed to another Big 12 school in Texas Tech. An ankle injury caused him to miss three games in 2022, but Mills still started 10 games and played 856 offensive snaps at right tackle. He was Texas Tech's highest-graded offensive lineman that season according to Pro Football Focus, allowing only one sack over 524 pass-blocking plays and he had a 97.5 pass-blocking efficiency grade.

In 2023, Mills made the transition to the other side of the offensive line, starting 11 games at left tackle. He allowed two sacks and 15 pressures on 476 pass-blocking snaps and played 894 offensive snaps at left tackle that season for the Red Raiders. Mills improved his pass blocking efficiency grade to 98.2 in 2023 over 2022.

Mills then entered the transfer portal again and committed to Louisville for the 2024 season. He started 10 games at left tackle for the Cardinals and was graded as the team's second-best offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus this season.

Mills entered the transfer portal once again on January 7th, immediately becoming one of the best and certainly one of the most experienced offensive linemen available in the portal. According to a report from Pete Nakos of On3, Mills entered the portal with a 'do not contact' tag, which means that he is only going to contact the schools he is interested in as opposed to having coaches reaching out to him. That report, combined with Trieu's report from Thursday that Virginia is already hosting Mills for a visit would suggest that the Hoos were near or at the top of the list for Mills as he entered the portal.

The Cavaliers are expected to return both of their starting tackles next season in McKale Boley (LT) and Blake Steen (RT). But Steen missed a game last season and Boley missed the first four games of the season and has dealt with injuries throughout his career. It's also possible that Steen could move inside to a guard spot to help Virginia adjust for losing Ty Furnish and Ugonna Nnanna to the transfer portal.

Beyond just having much-improved depth, UVA offensive line coach Terry Heffernan would love to get a player with the experience and proven track record of Monroe Mills to boost a Virginia offensive line unit that needs to take a big step forward in 2025. This would be a massive addition to the Cavaliers' roster for next season if they can close the deal.

Keep track of all of UVA's transfer portal activity, including outgoing and incoming transfers, here: Virginia Football Transfer Portal Tracker

Stay up to date on all of the transfers who have received offers from Virginia or who have scheduled visits to UVA here: Tracking UVA Football's Offers and Visits in the Transfer Portal

More Virginia Football News

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What Does Antonio Clary's Return Mean for Virginia Football

Virginia Football Adds Standout UNLV DE Transfer Fisher Camac

Offensive Lineman Tyshawn Wyatt Set to Join Virginia Football

UVA Football: Reevaluating Virginia's Transfer Portal Needs

Grading Virginia Football's Transfer Portal Pickups So Far

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.