The Hamburg Sea Devils have signed their first of two American imports on defense for the 2024 European League of Football season with the announcement of the acquisition of safety Caleb Mills.
Mills began his collegiate career at Dodge City Community College in Kansas in 2017, where he played receiver. After a solid season there, he transferred to New Mexico State University at the Division I FBS level. His first season with the Aggies in 2018 was shortened due to injury, and in 2019 he recorded nine catches for 92 yards in seven games, as he was still playing receiver at that time.
After the Aggies’ 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, Mills switched to defensive back and saw a lot more playing time in doing so. In his final collegiate season in 2021, Mills appeared in 11 games and recorded 75 total tackles and two interceptions. In November he got to play away games at Alabama and Kentucky, during which he recorded a combined 14 tackles. After graduating, he received an invitation to the Carolina Panthers minicamp in the spring of 2022.
A native of Gastonia, North Carolina, the 27 year old Mills is an athletic safety who can have an impact on the run game and the pass game. At 6’5”, he is tall for a safety, which can help him deflect passes and use his size to make tackles.
The Sea Devils are hoping Mills will be a playmaker on defense, especially considering how much talent they have lost on that side of the ball this offseason. Their all-star safety, Kevin Fortes, left for Madrid after two seasons with the team. They also lost a couple of standout pass-rushers in Evans Yeboah and Jan-Phillip Bombek. In any case, the signing of Mills was good news for a team who is looking to improve upon their 4-8 season last year. They will be faced with the challenge of battling in a loaded Western Conference.
Check out Caleb Mills highlights from New Mexico State University
