Bend But Don’t Break Ball Hawk Quinyon Mitchell to The Rescue

Due to five teams being listed as needing a cornerback as their top need in the 2024 NFL Draft, Toledo cover corner Quinyon Mitchell factors to hear his name on day one.

With the direction the league is trending, it makes too much sense.

According to teamrankings.com, 31 of 32 teams in the NFL passed the ball more than 50% of the time last season, and seven of those teams (including the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs) threw more than 60% of the time.

This isn’t the ‘three yards and a cloud of dust’ league anymore that once was back in the 1980s.

According to NFL.com, and their published ‘team needs list,’ it lines up with this trend. Five teams are projected to have cornerback listed as their top team need in the first round: Chargers (No. 5), Rams (No. 19), Steelers (No. 20), Lions (No. 29), and the defending NFC Champion 49ers (No. 31).

The Titans (No. 7) are listed with cornerback being their ‘second-biggest need.’

If I were a GM, cornerback is now my fourth-highest priority position on a first-round board based on the direction this pass-happy league is trending next to quarterback, receivers, and edge rushers.

Predatory cover corner

These are the three words I am using to describe him.

I’ve studied Mitchell at Toledo in eight games total during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, plus studied different film exposures available of him at the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl practice week.

What shows up on film?

• Lanky
• Lurking big presence
• Big looking wingspan
• Good straight-line speed

Mitchell is the closest thing I’ve seen in this draft class to Seattle’s first-round pick in 2023 (No. 5), Devon Witherspoon (especially in terms of lacking a short-area burst and having some limited tightness). They’re both the same height according to ESPN (6-foot-0) and relatively the same weight (Witherspoon 185 and Mitchell 196).

Witherspoon finished No. 4 in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. While Mitchell isn’t as aggressive in coverage and doesn’t seem to be as big of a talker, he’s just as physical when the ball is in the air. According to Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon finished ranked No. 27 at the position. I projected Witherspoon between picks 20-32.

The only thing I didn’t care for in 2023 was the eight catches Mitchell gave up against Illinois, Buffalo, and Central Michigan. Oh yeah, I didn’t like how reluctant he was in support (pass and run) either, which is why I label him as a ‘cover corner.’

Coverage scheme

For the past two seasons, Mitchell has mostly lined up in ‘off-man’ coverage. Off-man is a look where the cornerback lines up a few yards off the wide receiver pre-snap and it’s an attempt to keep the game in front of cornerbacks ⎯ a bend but don’t break defensive philosophy.

This scheme helped to camouflage Mitchell’s two main weaknesses notated above.

Coverage results are hit-and-miss at the short-to-intermediate route levels (0-19 yards). Sometimes he’s able to compensate with those long Octopus arms and with great anticipation (2022: 19 passes defended, 2023: 18 passes defended) and sometimes he can’t.

Mitchell got exposed in press man (lined up against the receiver pre-snap) against routes featuring sweet and sleek breakpoints at the Senior Bowl practices.

One thing is for sure, he’s not giving up much deep with how he maintains route leverage in those situations and with great ball instincts.

ANOTHER BIG PLUS: Mitchell plays a clean game and avoids pass interference calls.

#27 Quinyon Mitchell 6-foot-0, 196 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2024 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 47.9% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of February 28, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Ball Hawk Quinyon Mitchell (3 games evaluated)

2023 game film reviewed: Illinois, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Miami-Ohio, and Texas Southern (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

Reese’s Senior Bowl Footage (2024): Day One, Day Two, and one-on-one vs. Roman Wilson

2023 stats: 41 tackles (32 solo), 9 assists, 1 INT.

2024 NFL Draft Report

Menacing corner with a solid muscular frame. Opponents shied away from testing him. Conservative scheme. Keeps the game in front of him. Capable of quick movements. Can become passive allowing too much cushion and be too hesitant at times to break on the ball. Solid tackler after the catch. Breaks hard downhill and blows up screens. Excellent at getting in the way of passes and maintaining control of routes. Undependable in support.

Final words

Strong presence.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.