Washington Huskies star OL placed on elite path by former teammate

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

After just one season with the Washington Huskies, offensive lineman John Mills has already left a lasting impression on his teammates that goes well beyond his 6-foot-6, 340-pound stature and signature blonde mullet.

Mills, who earned a starting job as a true freshman and played in 11 games, nine at left guard and two at right tackle while missing two with a high-ankle sprain, was nothing short of stellar. He surrendered just eight pressures on the season, according to Pro Football Focus, on his way to being named a consensus Freshman All-American and proving himself as a critical building block for the future of Jedd Fisch’s offensive line.

Now, some of his former teammates are setting the bar insanely high for him, as edge rusher Zach Durfee placed the rising sophomore on an elite trajectory.

“I know he played a lot and he’s amazing, but John Mills. I actually think John Mills is going to probably be a first-round pick in two years, for sure, and is probably going to be an NFL Hall of Famer. The things he was doing as a 17-year-old and his size,” Durfee said at Washington’s Pro Day on Monday, when asked for a name that Husky fans need to know about ahead of the 2026 season.

“I mean, he moved out to tackle for two weeks and played stellar as a freshman on a bad ankle in the Big Ten. Like, that’s not normal. He was 17 for most of the year. That’s where my mind goes. I’m a big fan of him, and he’s probably the best locker-room presence I’ve ever met, from any player I’ve ever been around.”

With the future of the offensive line generating plenty of buzz from around the program, the Huskies have one of the best pieces in the country to build around in Mills, no matter where he lines up, as he anchors a promising young core that should see a pair of young players in redshirt freshman Champ Taulealea and true freshman Kodi Greene work their way into the rotation in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies star OL placed on path to stardom by Zach Durfee

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos