All 105 is a Nittany Sorts Now Series profiling each Penn State football player. In this edition, we will be profiling redshirt junior safety Tyrece Mills.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: Philadelphia
Before Penn State: Mills spent two seasons at Lackawanna Community College. That’s the same school fellow safetys Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown went before going onto successful careers at Penn State that led to NFL contracts for each. In seven games of the 2021 season, Mills picked up three interceptions. He also added 35 tackles (24 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, a sack and a forced fumble.
Before junior college, Mills was a four-year letterman at Northeast High School. He helped his team to three public league championships.
Mills committed to Penn State in May 2021.
2022: Mills didn’t appear in any games for Penn State last season.
Where he stands: Mills is part of a deep safeties group led by safeties coach Anthony Poindexter. Captain Keaton Ellis is coming into his fifth year. Jaylen Reed and Zaire Wheatley, two of Penn State’s top three signees from the 2021 Class, are coming into Year 3. Second-year safetys KJ Winston and Mekhi Flowers are player many are excited for as well, and Penn State also has four-stars DaKaari Nelson and King Mack signed from the Class of ‘23.
It will likely be difficult for Mills to get a lot of playing time, but he’ll be an experienced option for Penn State when needed.
A quote by Mills: “My physicality. I play real aggressive and I play fast. So I’m going to run to the ball every play. You’re not going to have to worry about that, seeing me not running to the ball. I feel as though that’s a big strength.” — Flowers to Blue White Illustrated this spring on what his strength’s as a player are.
A quote about Mills: “I think his biggest strength is coming downhill and stopping the run like Marcus Allen did as well, but he also has the athleticism and ball skills to make some plays on those areas as well.
