The Indianapolis Colts were named as a ‘favorite team fit’ for Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
In a recent article from Matt Bowen of ESPN, he picked his favorite team fits for the top 20 prospects on his board, pairing Mitchell with the Colts.
Here is what Bowen had to say:
“Mitchell’s ability to play off the ball, driving top down on throws, would be maximized in three-deep zone and quarters coverage in Gus Bradley’s defense. He’s quick to transition, playing with aggressive eyes and generating speed out of his pedal. Plus, the Colts played man-to-man coverage on 44% of their opponent dropbacks last season, and that rate climbed to 51.4% on third downs.
“Mitchell has sticky coverage traits that lead to production — he had 15 pass breakups in 2023, tied for the most in the FBS. A physical corner who will set an edge as a run defender, Mitchell is a great fit for the Colts’ secondary.”
Mitchell has taken full advantage of the pre-draft process, improving his draft stock with his performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
At 6-0, 195 pounds, Mitchell posted the best Relative Athletic Score among all cornerbacks at 9.79, which included a 4.33-second 40-yard dash.
During his career at Toledo, which has spanned almost 2,300 snaps, Mitchell held opponents to a completion rate of just 44.7 percent and 10.7 yards per catch. In the last two seasons alone, he tallied 27 pass breakups and six interceptions. Mitchell has also shown to be a reliable tackler.
In a recent mock draft from Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, he provided some ‘intel’ on each prospect from coaches. One of the coaches called Mitchell the “total package.” Another noted his technique, aggressiveness, and physicality that he played with all being impressive traits Mitchell possessed.
The Colts have Kenny Moore as their nickel cornerback, but the boundary position, with JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers as the key contributors, remains upgradable and has some question marks.
During the Colts’ final four games of 2023, the defense allowed a completion rate of 68 percent, which ranked 30th during that span. The Colts finished the year in the middle of the pack in takeaways, but were 22nd in pass breakups, along with there being too many big play surrendered.
On PFF’s big board, Mitchell is the 10th-rated prospect overall and their second-ranked cornerback in what is a very good cornerback class.
