On Friday evening, the Virginia Cavaliers reportedly landed a commitment from the top-ranked offensive tackle in the transfer portal. Monroe Mills – one of the Louisville Cardinals’ starting tackles – has committed to Tony Elliott’s program. On3 ranks Mills as the seventh best player in the portal and the best offensive tackle. He was also an honorable mention All-ACC selection for the Cardinals in 2024.
𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓭🖊️
Welcome @RoeMillsfootbal to VIRGINIA#UVAStrong | #GoHoos ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/7ZAi95m4ny
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) January 11, 2025
The 6-foot-7, 215-pound Mills played both left and right tackle for the Cardinals in 2024 after spending two seasons starting for Texas Tech. Pro Football Focus ranked Mills as the 23rd best offensive tackle in the country in 2024. He adds significant size at tackle and projects to likely start at right tackle for the Cavaliers in 2025.
Mills takes Virginia’s offensive line portal haul from good to great. The Wahoos have now added. He’s offensive line coach Terry Heffernan’s fourth transfer commitment of portal season. Alongside Brady Wilson, Kevin Wingenton Jr., and Tyshawn Wyatt, Mills is a huge get.
Throw in left guard Noah Josey’s announcement that he’s returning for his fifth year and all of a sudden UVA’s offensive line is starting to look like a potential strength of the roster in 2025. The group has experience, a number of quality starting pieces, and what looks like legitimate depth.
Virginia’s offensive line has been a severe limiting factor of Tony Elliott and Des Kitchings’ offenses over the past three seasons. With these four additions and the returns of Josey, McKale Boley, Blake Steen, and Drake Metcalf, the trenches could bolster an offense that has been entirely revitalized in the transfer portal.
The end of the 2024 UVA football season left a bad taste in the mouth that has, reasonably, thrown the program’s future into question. But the success the coaching staff has had in the portal is no small thing. Virginia fans will need to see it to believe it, but the moves the ‘Hoos have made so far this offseason are providing tangible optimism for 2025.
Leave a Reply