The Minnesota Vikings had an advantage at scouting the cornerback position at the Senior Bowl last week — and no draft prospect made a bigger impression than Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell.
The Vikings had several staffers nominated to coach the Senior Bowl, including defensive pass coordinator Daronte Jones and assistant cornerbacks coach Michael Hutchings.
Jones and Hutchings worked first-hand with Mitchell over the week, and the junior put forth one of the most impressive performances of the weekend, establishing himself as arguably the best defender on the field, according to The Athletic’s Alec Lewis.
Mitchell, graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 cornerback last season, revealed that he met with the Vikings and has already taken a liking to Jones and Hutchings.
“They’ve been really good,” Mitchell said, per The Athletic. “Really technical, but they’re getting us right.”
In a February 1 article, Lewis detailed the importance of working with players at the Senior Bowl.
“Both at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, teams invite players in for interviews. The question-and-answer formats can vary in their depth, depending on the player’s position and the team. Often, though, players’ responses are canned and rehearsed. Real insights are harder to uncover.” Lewis wrote.
Getting a first-hand trial at coaching Mitchell is a key insight the Vikings will have over other teams and will be crucial in their evaluation.
“Oh, yeah,” Jones said when asked about this advantage. “You get to spend quality time with (these players). You get to see them in meetings, up close on the field, in the cafeteria. And it’s not as stressful a situation.”
Quinyon Mitchell an Ideal Fit for Vikings, Brian Flores
At 6-feet, 195 pounds, Mitchell ran a 4.3-second 4o-yard dash that, combined with his speed, made him a nightmare in man coverage. He set Toledo’s all-time record for passes defended, tallying 46 breakups in his four years (including an abridged six-game season in 2020 due to the pandemic).
Mitchell also shined in more complex coverages that the NFL demands and was seen as an ideal fit for Flores’ scheme.
From Lewis:
Additionally, Mitchell played match coverage, which starts as zone and turns into man, depending on the route the receiver runs. This responsibility requires a seamless application of rule memorization to on-field application. Most NFL teams, including the Vikings, ask for this depth of understanding from their cornerbacks.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores utilizes “hot coverage,” which mandates corners maintain eye position on the quarterback and react swiftly once the ball is snapped. Vikings cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr., Akayleb Evans and Mekhi Blackmon successfully navigated this complexity at times during the 2023 season. Murphy and Blackmon, though, are better suited for slot responsibility, while Evans’ inconsistency during the back half of the season leaves some uncertainty surrounding his long-term viability on the outside.
That’s where a player of Mitchell’s caliber could fit in. That is if the Vikings don’t opt to jump up for a quarterback or add to their defensive front. Free agency and draft circumstances will likely affect the Vikings’ path, but they’re doing their due diligence in the meantime.
On top of his coverage ability, Mitchell has shown to have a penchant for making the big play. In 2022, he tallied five interceptions. However, that ball-hawking mentality has led to some overly aggressive play, and playing in a non-Power 5 conference has also downgraded his value in draft rankings.
Quinyon Mitchell is turning heads at the Senior Bowl 👀@PFF_Sam | @PFF_Steve pic.twitter.com/hLLqku4khL
— PFF NFL Podcast (@PFFNFLPod) February 1, 2024
Vikings Could Land Quinyon Mitchell Without Using 1st-Round Pick
The Vikings have an opportunity to land a bonafide difference-maker with the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s draft. Using that pick on Mitchell would be considered a reach at this stage in the evaluation process.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Mitchell ranked the sixth-best cornerback in his draft class and No. 36 on his top 50 board. Mitchell’s Senior Bowl performance may have catapulted himself into first-round territory, but he seems more of a scheme-fit selection than a true No. 1 cornerback.
That could benefit the Vikings, who landed a similar corner in Mekhi Blackmon, knocked for his size, a year ago.
The Vikings could still stick and pick at No. 11, selecting a quarterback or pass-rusher, and trade back into the tail end of the first round to land Mitchell.
Selecting Mitchell inside the first round would have the benefit of having a fifth-year option in his contract at their disposal for a prospect who could have significant upside.
