After being important players in their universities, rookies must once again earn their places in the pros. Who are they and what hopes do they raise? Today, Quinyon Mitchell of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Quinyon Mitchell
Born July 18, 2001 in Williston, Florida
1m83 for 88 kilos
Cornerback, Philadelphia Eagles
Under the urban neon lights
While the Philadelphia franchise is known for letting beginners mature, Quinyon Mitchell was immediately a starter. He is even the defender most often fielded by the Eagles!
The rookie responds positively to this confidence by allowing only half of the passes thrown his way, deflecting seven of them while not conceding a touchdown in five games. If he shows that he still needs to improve the quality of his tackles, Quinyon Mitchell is already on point among the pros!
However, getting to the bright spots of the richest league in the world was not easy.
The shadow of the rural world
Quinyon Mitchell grew up in Williston, southeast of Jacksonville. A town of just over 2000 inhabitants. Far from major urban centers, the major event there is the peanut festival in October.
When he was old enough to start non-contact football at six, there was no team! Thanks to the determination of a few residents, sporting activities are nevertheless organized. The young Quinyon Mitchell is a discreet kid but he nevertheless shows certain skills: in particular a high competitive spirit. His coach at Williston High School describes it this way for The Athletic.
“In a day, he was not to say more than five words. But whether it was in the weight room or during any game, he always wanted to be the best! »
Because his mother gave birth to him before he was an adult, he was mainly raised by his maternal grandmother. The values that the latter instilled in him built the young man he has become: being honest and treating others as you want to be treated in return.
Loyalty
Quinyon Mitchell is considered in 2020 as the 1836th high school player by 247Sports, one of the three main sites specializing in referencing high school players. Not enough to receive offers from prestigious programs. It is completely ignored by the main universities, including the Florida Gators whose campus is only 30 kilometers away.
Hank Poteat played ten seasons with five NFL franchises as a cornerback. In 2017, he was the cornerbacks coach at the University of Toledo in Ohio. This university does not have the means to attract the best high school students in the country, their representatives must probe certain corners ignored by the majority.
Met by a university evaluator, this former third-round pick of the 2000 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers then went to Florida. There, he entered a “barber shop” in Williston: Country Boy Cutz. It's there that he hears the one who cuts his hair talking to him about a young prodigy in the area.
Convinced by what he then saw of him on the training ground, he campaigned to offer him a scholarship. And even if later, the university with the more famous football program of Illinois did the same, Quinyon Mitchell remained faithful to his commitment to the Toledo Rockets.
This loyalty instilled by GrandMa will also be decisive a few years later. In 2022, Quinyon Mitchell dazzles college football with 25 passes defended including 5 interceptions! Nick Saban himself then tried to recruit him for his final year with Alabama. This legendary coach even confided to ESPN that he had made it his priority for the 2023 season!
Playing for one of the three best universities in the country was necessarily enticing: both from a strictly sporting point of view and in terms of his exposure for the draft. Such an institution also promised him juicy remuneration via the image rights of a NIL (Name Image Likeness) contract.
But his unbreakable commitment to those who trusted him from day one made him stay in Toledo. His grandmother's education played a fundamental role in his loyalty going so far as to refuse this wonderful opportunity!
Since 2016, the Toledo coach has been able to prepare players for the NFL, notably runner Kareem Hunt (Kansas City). Also, Logan Woodside (Bengals/QB), Diontae Johnson (Panthers/WR), Samuel Womack (Colts/CB) and Tycen Anderson (Bengals/ Safety but especially very important on special team).
Although avoided as much as possible by opposing quarterbacks in 2023, Quinyon Mitchell was once again able to dominate the matches with 19 passes defended including an interception!
Trust the process
The performances of university players are always put into the context of adversity: being good against opponents like Kent State or Akron is necessarily put into perspective in relation to performances against Georgia or Michigan! The draft process is therefore even more important for this type of player.
The Senior Bowl is a very important event every year. This is where Eagles manager Howie Roseman cleared up his few doubts about this player: Toledo's defense mainly used a zone coverage system, but the NFL requires cornerbacks who are especially capable of individual marking.
Although it was only training sessions and a more or less friendly match, Quinyon Mitchell and his ability to defend the best college receivers in the country convinced the Eagles decision maker.
Just as essential to boost the success of a college player in the pros, the NFL Combine has definitely convinced recruiters. His speed in the sprint exercise (4.33 seconds over 40 yards) and his fluidity of movement during drills (position specific workshops), strengthened his rating to ultimately be the first cornerback chosen in the 2024 draft.
This evening of April 26, 2024 in Detroit, just after his selection, Quinyon Mitchell was able to speak with his future coach Nick Sirianni.
“Hey, our recruiters have been talking to me about you for two years. These last few weeks, they have only insisted on you! »
Now under the spotlights of the NFL, Quinyon Mitchell handles the pressure that comes with it. Hardworking and driven by a grateful and loyal personality, he will give everything he has for his new family.
After living in the shadows for most of his life, he is ready to receive some well-deserved light.
