The 2024 NFL Draft will be cluttered with players who were given a high prospect ranking out of high school and hail from a 2023 Power Five conference. But there are others like Quinyon Mitchell who blazed a much different path.
In looking back at Mitchell’s path to the draft, he clearly fits the “underdog” narrative as someone who had to overcome personal obstacles to reach this pinnacle.
Where Did Quinyon Mitchell’s Football Career Start?
Mitchell earns his “small-town prospect” label.
He was born in Williston, Fla., which as of 2022 had a population of above 3,000 inhabitants. He went on to attend the city’s high school — which draws an enrollment of under 1,200 students.
Mitchell considerably had a harder time earning national recognition on the recruiting trail compared to in-state powerhouses like IMG Academy of Bradenton, Fla., Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School of Hollywood, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas High School of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., or Booker T. Washington Senior High School of Miami. However, he did receive some attention from the P5 realm.
By starring as a versatile running back and cat-quick cornerback, Mitchell reeled in a scholarship offer from Illinois of the Big 10 and visited the campus on June 15, 2018, per 247Sports. He snatched eight career interceptions in his three-year varsity career while breaking up 19 total passes according to MaxPreps.
Mitchell was even earning late interest from nearby Florida. But by his own admission during his NFL Combine interview, his grades prevented him from potentially playing for the Gators. Through it all, Toledo stuck with him throughout his recruitment, and the rest would be history.
Revisiting Mitchell’s College Career
The small-town defender ended up playing Group of Five football, choosing the Mid-American Conference (MAC) school. Mitchell ended up taking full advantage of the school, which worked to get his academics in order.
He saw the field immediately during the truncated 2020 season, playing in four games and collecting seven tackles, including six solo, in the process. But he emerged as one of the conference’s best following his first collegiate campaign.
Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell has 3️⃣ interceptions with 2️⃣ pick 6️⃣’s as the Rockets lead Northern Illinois 35-7 🚀
CFB Live Blog: https://t.co/9B6PmLuKF8
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 8, 2022
Mitchell swatted eight passes, delivered 34 tackles (28 on the solo side), and produced two stops behind the line in his redshirt freshman season of 2021. He then broke out in 2022 with the following marks: 19 pass deflections, five interceptions, 41 tackles, and 3.5 for a loss — all career-highs.
He ended up having a rather quieter 2023 on the takeaways front with just one pick. However, he still denied passes from his side by swiping away 18 passes. Mitchell also finished with a career-best 32 solo stops.
With these numbers, Mitchell got on league draft boards. But his name has risen following epic Senior Bowl and NFL Combine performances during the 2024 offseason.
Mitchell’s Potential in the NFL
Mitchell enters this class as the most highly sought-after mid-major prospect in the draft. No one else from the MAC — let alone the rest of the G5 realm from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and even Mountain West — has been given the praise Mitchell is receiving ahead of the draft.
But does this make Mitchell the top cornerback ahead of April 25? PFN’s Ian Cummings weighed in with his evaluation.
“Mitchell grades out as a top-20 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft and a Round 1 candidate who’s worth consideration in the mid-first,” Cummings wrote.
Where does Cummings believe Mitchell excels the most?
“Particularly for off-man and zone-heavy teams, Mitchell has an enticing upside — but at the Senior Bowl, he also confirmed his ability to play press-man at a high level,” Cummings said.
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Quinyon Mitchell
Mitchell brings speed, instincts, footwork, and ball-hawking tenacity to the field. Those traits have enticed teams into making him one of their first choices on Day 1 of the draft.
He’ll have his flaws to correct. Cummings pointed out some technical issues in Mitchell’s backpedal and hip leverage that will need correction at the next level. And as is the case of every MAC or non-Power Five prospect, Mitchell must prove he can adjust to the rigors of covering NFL wideouts … especially Pro Bowlers he’ll be assigned to down the road.
But his potential is high, and his accolades are equally stacked.
Highlights, Records, and More for Mitchell
Mitchell left his name in the record books at Toledo.
By breaking up 45 passes, he shattered the previous best of 42 from Samuel Womack. Furthermore, Mitchell is the only Rockets player ever to be named to all five major All-American teams in his career.
Mitchell was additionally a popular All-MAC selection after every season he played. That includes landing on the conference’s first team in 2023.
The awards didn’t stop there for Mitchell. College Football Network named him MAC Cornerback of the Year and a first-team defender.
KEEP READING: Top CBs in the 2024 NFL Draft
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