Daniel Jeremiah: ‘Don’t sleep on the Colts moving up for Quinyon Mitchell” in NFL Draft

The cornerback needy Colts are rumored to be interested in potentially trading up for Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell.

According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, the Indianapolis Colts could be interested in trading up from #15 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft for Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell:

“The latest stuff I have heard this evening was don’t sleep on the Colts moving up for Quinyon Mitchell. That they were a Quinyon Mitchell team,” Jeremiah said on Twitter Spaces via ColtsFilmRoom. “I had already turned in my mock draft, so I did not have that, but that’s some of the intel that came in this evening.”

The 6’0,” 195 pound Mitchell (with 31” arms) saw his stock soar following a strong recent NFL Combine showing in which he ran a blistering fast 4.33 forty time—with a 38” vertical.

The senior recorded 41 tackles (32 solo), 2 tackles for loss, an interception, and 18 passes defensed during 13 starts—earning First-Team All-MAC honors (*for a consecutive season).

He also was one of the top performers at this year’s Senior Bowl—having been named top cornerback on the National Team, which Colts general manager Chris Ballard historically loves snagging participating top prospects from Mobile, Alabama:

Arguably the best cornerback in this year’s draft class, Mitchell is projected to go from anywhere later in the Top 10 to around where the Colts pick at #15 overall in the mid-teens.

For what it’s worth, Mitchell is Jeremiah’s 12th best overall prospect in this year’s draft, and here’s his brief scouting breakdown:

“Mitchell has excellent size, speed and toughness for the position. He is at his best in off-man coverage, where he plays out of a side turn and eyes the quarterback through the wide receiver. He is very situationally aware, settling at the sticks before triggering on the ball. There’s a noticeable burst when he drives downhill. He has plenty of speed to turn and carry go routes. He also can quickly restart and recover versus double moves. Occasionally, there is a little tightness when he must flip his hips down the field. He has exceptional ball skills (SEE: his tape from 2022, when he had five interceptions, including a pair of pick-sixes), but he wasn’t challenged very often in 2023. I love his desire and physicality against the run. He never hangs on blocks, and he bursts to the ball-carrier before coming to balance and collecting tackles. Overall, Mitchell is a feisty competitor with outstanding speed and a history of ball production.”

There’s no question that the Colts biggest positional need is arguably at cornerback right now, where the team has adequate rotational options such as Jaylin Jones and Dallis Flowers (who’s recovering from a season-ending Achilles injury) but perhaps lack a long-term starter opposite JuJu Brents outside. Time will tell.

That being said, while Ballard has invested early draft capital into cornerbacks, namely Rock Ya-Sin and JuJu Brents, as early second round picks in 2019 and 2023 respectively, he’s never taken one with a first round pick—especially this early on. It’s wait and see time if he will for a cornerback like Mitchell set to be deployed in a heavy zone coverage scheme.

If the Colts are indeed looking to trade up to successfully land Mitchell, then they may have competition as both the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly interested in moving up for him as well—among potentially other interested suitors.