DURHAM, N.C. – Shortly after North Carolina Central University senior cornerback Bryan Mills recorded four tackles and a pass breakup in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday, he earned an invitation to the NFL Combine.
After receiving word of his invite, Mills tweeted out, “Blessed to be invited to the 2021 NFL Combine. A lifelong dream of mine!”
Mills becomes only the second NCCU player in the Division I era to receive the prestigious invite, joining potential Super Bowl-winning former NCCU defensive back Ryan Smith of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will be the fifth Eagle to represent NCCU at the NFL Combine.
The NFL Combine will have a unique format due to the pandemic. The combine is an evaluative process that includes putting draft prospects through on-field workouts, psychological testing, medical exams, and interviews with teams. This year, the on-field workouts will be done at on-campus pro days. The medical and psychological exams, along with the interviews with the teams, will take place virtually.
Read: North Carolina Central’s Bryan Mills accepts invite to 2021 Senior Bowl
Mills, a native of Palmdale, California, was voted as a 2019 First Team All-MEAC honoree and selected to the AFCA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches’ All-America Team and BOXTOROW All-America Team in his first season at NCCU. He finished the season leading the conference with five interceptions. Mills was also second in the MEAC with 13 pass deflections and tallied 22 tackles.
Also during his junior season in 2019, Mills tied the NCCU record for interceptions in a game with three picks, including two on throws to the end zone to prevent touchdowns, at Morgan State on Sept. 28. For his efforts, Mills earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, BOXTOROW National Player of the Week, and STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. On Oct. 26, he found himself in the right place at the right time, as he snagged the game-saving, walk-off interception inside the 5-yard line against Delaware State.
Last April, Mills was placed on a list of the top HBCU prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft by Draft Diamonds.
Courtesy: NCCU Athletics
