Return Of Howard Cross III, Rylie Mills Gives Notre Dame A Great 2024 Foundation

Notre Dame is dealing with the same thing the rest of college football is dealing with, and that is defections to the NFL and the transfer portal. After some early angst in the fan base after a quick rush of players to the portal, and after the departure of several stars to the NFL, Notre Dame got some very good news this week when three veterans announced they would return for a final season.

Defensive tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, and linebacker Jack Kiser all announced this past week that they were planning to return for the 2024 season. Kiser gives the Irish a productive, do-it-all veteran that can play multiple spots, but it's the return of Cross and Mills that has the biggest impact.

Part of what made Notre Dame such an outstanding defense this season was how good it was on all three levels of the defense, and it had arguably the best cornerback duo in college football. But you can't finish 8th in scoring defense, 8th in total defense, 5th in yards allowed per play, 4th in pass defense, 2nd in red zone defense and lead the nation in pass efficiency defense - all things Notre Dame did this season - if you don't have a strong defensive line.

Notre Dame is already set to lose standout Javontae Jean-Baptiste and NaNa Osafo-Mensah at defensive end, but losing both Mills and Cross would have been a punishing blow, especially considering the losses at linebacker and the secondary.

With Mills and Cross returning the Irish now have an opportunity to have one of the best, if not the best, defensive tackle depth charts in all of college football. 

Cross racked up 64 tackles this season, which is the most from a Notre Dame defensive lineman since Trevor Laws had 112 back in 2007. That includes edge players and interior defenders. Mills had 45 tackles this season, which would have led Notre Dame interior defenders in 2022, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 and 2010.

Cross and Mills combined for 109 tackles this season, which is more than the entire defensive tackle depth charts in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 and 2014, with 2014 being the year Notre Dame shifted to a four-down defense. It tied the 2017 number and is just one away from last season's 110, which included bowl game production.

The duo also combined for 63 quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus, which is also more than any defensive tackle duo at Notre Dame in the PFF era.

When you break down both Mills and Cross on film there is still plenty of production to be had, especially for Mills. Another year under Al Washington and in this defense gives both a chance to become even more dominant, disruptive and productive. 

More importantly, it gives Notre Dame the up-the-middle talent and depth to once again serve as a foundation of an elite defense.