Quinyon Mitchell – Cornerback – 22 years old – Junior – Toledo
Height: 1m83
Weight: 89 kg
2023 stats: 41 tackles, 18 passes defended, 1 interception
Estimated position in the draft: top 20
NFL Comparison: Charvarius Ward
You have to go back to 1993 to see a player from the University of Toledo drafted in the first round. It was Dan Williams, a defensive end who played for the Broncos and Chiefs. It's the only one, to date. Quinyon Mitchell will be, barring any surprises, the second. He will also likely be the only player not from a university belonging to one of the five major conferences chosen in the first round. Proof of the boy's talent, which has continued to progress, year after year.
The strong points
- Playmaking
- Instinct
- Natural athlete
19 passes defensed in 2022. 18 in 2023. No one in college has been as strong in this area over the last two seasons as Quinyon Mitchell. It's simple, when the ball is in his zone, the pass is rarely completed. In two years, he has only allowed 40.9% completions. Mitchell has impressive ball appeal. In 2022, he even had a game with 4 interceptions, including 2 returned for touchdowns against Northern Illinois. His ability to cut the flight of the ball and attack the receiver's hands is remarkable.
In Toledo, Quinyon Mitchell played almost exclusively zone. A pattern that matches his instinctual qualities. He reads the receivers' routes perfectly, and is therefore able to anticipate the trajectory of the opponent who is in his zone, in order to cut the passing lines.
At the combine, Mitchell ran a 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, second-fastest among cornerbacks (behind Nate Wiggins). He finished first in the bench press. Quinyon Mitchell is an extraordinary athlete. He has the perfect size, speed, power and mentality of the modern cornerback.
The weak spots
- Lure for big games
- Adversity
When you have an ability as great as yours to make big plays, the desire to make even more is often there. If this doesn't make much sense in the NCAA, Quinyon Mitchell at times tends to want to make decisive actions. Where he could have been satisfied with a simple incomplete pass while remaining on his player, he could sometimes be trapped. Be careful, in the NFL, quarterbacks and receivers are smarter than in college.
Especially since Mitchell has rarely faced high-caliber receivers in the NCAA. A player from Toledo, in the Mid-American Conference, none of the receivers he played against in 2023 are expected to be drafted. The level will be completely different in the NFL, where he will have to face receivers of a much higher caliber every week, in an NFL that is increasingly focused on the air. Its adaptation will be fascinating to follow.
Possible destinations
Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings.
In one year, Quinyon Mitchell went from a player who, at best, would be a project on the second day of the draft, to a potential number 1 cornerback in the franchise that will draft him. Although he has been much less exposed to the eyes of the world than his comrades from major universities, he is nonetheless an incredibly talented player, whose physical profile and playmaking make many general managers salivate.
Ideally, Quinyon Mitchell should play in a zone system in the NFL, where he can best exploit his potential. It's almost impossible to see him fall out of the top 20 today, and he should battle with Terrion Arnold for the spot as the first cornerback selected.
