Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primer: Bryan Mills

Mills has the length and size the Seahawks have famously coveted at the cornerback position for years. But will the small-school prospect be the next in a long line of Seattle undrafted success stories, or fail to make the improvements necessary to see the field in 2021?

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason programs in full swing across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than two months. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.

Bryan Mills, Cornerback

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 174 pounds

2020 Stats: N/A

The Seahawks may have broadened their horizons at the cornerback position with the 5-foot-9 builds of D.J. Reed and Tre Brown, but there's still a home for tall, lanky corners in the Pacific Northwest. After nabbing Brown in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Seattle landed the 6-foot-1 Mills as an undrafted free agent immediately following the event's conclusion. To some, Mills being available when he was came as somewhat of a surprise. After all, he was an impactful defender at North Carolina Central, reeling in five career interceptions that all seemed to come at clutch moments. Once the FCS season was postponed to the spring, he decided to forego the wait and prepare for the NFL. He earned some mid-round buzz following his declaration, but his limited competition in the FCS and a poor Senior Bowl performance ultimately tanked his draft stock. Mills now enters a crowded group of cornerbacks with the Seahawks, narrowing his chances for precious playing time to showcase his skills in the preseason. And with a heated camp competition on the horizon, both technical and physical improvements will be required for him to truly factor into the equation. 

Best Case Scenario: Likely to be one of the Seahawks' final cuts no matter what happens this summer, Mills gains 53-man roster consideration from other teams on the waiver wire following a strong preseason. 

Worst Case Scenario: Unable to come into camp stronger and adapt to the Seahawks' technique, Mills doesn't stick in Seattle and struggles to find another practice squad to take him on. 

What to Expect in 2021: At this point in time, Mills is a project for Seattle. With his height and 32-inch arms, there's a lot to dream on from a physical standpoint. But he'll need more reps against high quality opponents and must refine his technical ability before he can push for anything beyond a spot on a team's practice squad. He should, however, see his fair share of opportunities to impress in the preseason, especially on special teams. He was stellar in that regard during his collegiate career and it could be his best path to standing out. Even then, it's unlikely to be enough to put him in the conversation to make the team's active roster within a group of corners as rich in options as Seattle's is. 

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primers

Alex McGough | Darvin Kidsy | Greg Eiland | LaDarius Wiley | Joshua Moon | Nick Guggemos | Cam Sutton | Walter Palmore | Jared Hocker | Brad Lundblade | Aashari Crosswell | Myles Adams | B.J. Emmons | Jon Rhattigan