Penn State added to its ever growing Lackawanna Junior College pipeline with the signing of safety Tyrece Mills on Wednesday. Mills had previously verbally committed but did not sign his national letter of intent during the early signing period in December.
“I think the biggest thing is his physicality,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “You’re talking about a guy that I think can play any three of the safety spots, which is the two deep safeties, but also that field backer-slash-safety player that we like to play with.”
Mills is the third Lackawanna safety to make an appearance in State College joining now former Nittany Lion Jaquan Brisker and returning starting safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Mills hits the scale at six-feet and 205-pounds, which makes him roughly the same weight as both Brisker and Brown, but roughly one inch shorter than Brisker and two inches taller than Brown.
“We’ve had a lot of success obviously, with that position specifically, when it comes to Lackawanna junior college and what that staff has done over there,” Franklin added. “I think those things have been helpful to both our programs, there’s no doubt about that.”
Mills will join a reloading safeties room, primarily following the loss to Brisker with the return of Brown providing the Nittany Lions with a solid foundation at the last line of defense. The group will work with returning co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter who was courted by his alma mater for Virginia for its head coach vacancy but who ultimately returned to Penn State.
It remains to be seen where Mills will fall in the safety rotation with longtime Nittany Lion Jonathan Sutherland set to return with Brown in addition to State College native Keaton Ellis, and Jaylen Reed.
“I think his biggest strength is coming downhill and supporting the run like (former Lions safety) Marcus Allen did, but he also has the athleticism and ball skills to make some plays in those areas as well.”
Mills also joins incoming Lackawanna product in offensive lineman J.B. Nelson and reserve punter Bradley King while former Penn State offensive lineman Anthony Whigan and Lackawanna product recently entered the transfer portal.
