July is the time to get excited about what younger players may be preparing to emerge as bigger contributors for the upcoming season. With the Seattle Seahawks, there’s growing excitement around 2025 fifth-round pick Rylie Mills.
On July 1, Fansided’s 12th Man Rising’s Lee Vowell hyped Mills as “a breakout star” for the 2026 campaign.
“Could the second-year player get five sacks or more? Absolutely. He could have 30 total pressures or more, while also providing immovable run defense. Because of the Seahawks’ depth, Mills, just like Murphy and veteran Leonard Williams, should be able to stay fresh in games, which should equate to elite efficiency,” wrote Vowell.
“This coming season will likely be just the beginning of a long run of excellence for Rylie Mills. The NFL forgot about him for nearly five rounds. He will spend the rest of his time with the Seattle Seahawks proving how every other team was wrong. Thank goodness for that.”
This is the second time since the Seahawks concluded offseason workouts in June that Mills received attention for his 2026 breakout star potential. On June 19, SB Nation’s Field Gulls’ Alexandre Castro included the defensive lineman on a list of three Seahawks defenders “who are primed for a breakout season” this fall.
Mills posted three combined tackles while playing four games as a rookie last season.
Why Rylie Mills Could Breakout for Seahawks in 2026
GettyThe Seattle Seahawks selected Rylie Mills at No. 142 overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mills began his rookie season on the non-football injury list because of a torn ACL he sustained at Notre Dame. The fifth-round rookie worked his way back last season, though, and debuted for the Seahawks on December 14.
His involvement on defense was minimal. Mills averaged just seven defensive snaps in his four games. He then played less in two playoff games.
But even in that small sample, Mills made an impact. He posted a sack during the Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots.
With a fully healthy offseason, Mills could be ready to make a bigger impact this fall. At the very least, he should play more in 2026.
“This coming season will likely be just the beginning of a long run of excellence for Rylie Mills,” wrote Vowell. “The NFL forgot about him for nearly five rounds. He will spend the rest of his time with the Seattle Seahawks proving how every other team was wrong. Thank goodness for that.”
Seahawks Defensive Line Depth Entering NFL Training Camp
GettySecond-year defensive lineman Rylie Mills received more hype as a potential 2026 breakout candidate for Mike Macdonald and the Seattle Seahawks.
With limited draft capital, the Seahawks addressed their bigger needs at running back, in the secondary and along the offensive line with their first several picks of the 2026 draft. The Seahawks added defensive line depth in the seventh round with Minnesota’s Deven Eastern.
Seattle also signed undrafted free agent Uso Seumalo.
At rookie minicamp, Seumalo shined. Even still, if the Seahawks get a breakout 2026 season from a defensive lineman, it’s likely to be from one of the depth players who was already on the roster last season.
During training camp, Mills should compete with Brandon Pili and Mike Morris for snaps behind the team’s starting defensive linemen.
Mills could potentially play anywhere along the Seahawks defensive line this fall. But in a small sample last season, he played a majority of his snaps at defensive tackle.
At Notre Dame, Mills posted 131 combined tackles, including 25 for loss with 17 sacks while playing 61 games from 2020-24.
Seahawks Ex-Day 3 Pick Gaining More Steam for Breakout Star Potential