I saw this on another board and I thought it was interesting.
It was reported during the second day of the draft on both NFLN's and ESPN's coverage that Michael Mitchell was graded above a 7th Round prospect by two teams, the Oakland Raiders and the Chicago Bears. The other 30 teams graded Mitchell as a 7th Round or UDFA type. The Bears apparently had a good deal of interest, but thought they could get him in the 4th or so, so I'm not certain that he would have been the pick at 49.
I don't think some people here get it. If, say, Larry English had been a reach at 16, Michael Mitchell is a hyper-extended shoulder and elbow at 47. In five years of attending the draft, I have never before witnessed quite a reach. It sounds dramatic and to the Raiders and even Bears fans it may seem harsh, but it is the truth. The kicker here, I go to Ohio University and have watched the guy play many times and actually liked him a as a late round option with upside. I was on hand to watch him play VMI, Central Michigan, and Buffalo this year and watched the Temple and Ohio State games on TV and also was the only student on hand to watch his pro day, which for those of you who aren't aware is the only reason he was even considered to be drafted in 2009, so this is a player I'm very familiar with.
I won't say he is a bad player, and I won't say he doesn't have the chance to be a good player. He was an average player, on an average defense, for an average team, in an average conference. He was not the best player on Ohio University's defense, in fact, he was likely our third best DB behind Mark Parson and Steven Jackson.
He can run, he can hit, but do any of you know anything else about Mitchell? I'm not talking about watching a five minute youtube video on him and claiming he has all the tools. I'm talking about going back on film and breaking down the way this guy plays.
Pros: Exceptional measurables for the Safety position. Is an NFL athlete on paper. Flows to the ball fast and aggressively and knows how to finish the play when he gets there. Punishing hitter. Solid tackler. Finds the ball and moves downhill to make plays. Can lock on and can force fumbles and make plays. Solid hands. Plenty of upside.
Cons: Football instincts are well subpar. His read and react skills are marred by poor angles, resulting in over-pursuit. Will too often lower his head and go for the kill shot and lose vision of the ball carrier. Is raw in coverage and shows little recognition skills. Is an overall liability in coverage and looks lost more often than not. Will give up the deep ball without knowing a receiver ever got behind him. Is out of position a good deal and takes himself out of some plays. Average ball skills. Can be caught guessing and fooled in the open field. Does not play up to workout numbers. Average production against marginal competition. Never recognized as even an Honorable Mention All-MAC football player.
He has upside. He could turn out to be a good player. I like him, I have Bobcat pride, but I'm first and foremost a draft guy and have to tell it like it is. Mitchell graded out as a 7th Round-UDFA to me, and apparently 30 NFL teams from what we heard today. A reach of monumental proportions. Not a bad prospect, but at least three rounds earlier than he should have started to be considered.
That said, best of luck to Michael and I wish him all the success in the world. I hope that he stays true to his word and uses his draft projection and this word "reach" as motivation to keep him going. I'll be following him closely.
