Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
Quinyon Mitchell's impact with the Eagles was immediate and hard to miss. In recent memory, it's hard to think of an Eagles rookie who played such a prominent role in transforming an entire unit. Mitchell — the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — became a lockdown cornerback on the outside from Day 1.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio threw Mitchell into the fire by lining him up against some of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Mitchell was up to the task, helping the Eagles have the best pass defense in the NFL. He finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting — losing out to Jared Verse — and was a crucial part of the Eagles' Super Bowl victory.
It's hard not to take note of Mitchell's excellence. In an ESPN survey that asked executives, scouts and coaches to rank the top 10 cornerbacks in the league, Mitchell came in ninth. Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots (ranked sixth) was the only player younger than Mitchell (23 years old) on the list.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler had this to say about Mitchell:
"Mitchell was stellar in the predraft process in 2024 and continued that momentum throughout the rookie season. When a receiver catches a pass in Mitchell's vicinity, he doesn't go far. Mitchell allowed an average of 1.5 yards after catch as the nearest defender in coverage last season, the fewest of any player with at least 30 targets. The next closest was Surtain at 1.9. In three playoff games, Mitchell allowed seven yards after the catch on five receptions."
ESPN's list is full of youth. Mitchell might be one of the youngest players on it, but Denzel Ward (28) is the only player older than 26 to make the cut. The top cornerback, Patrick Surtain II, is 25, while Derek Stingley is 24. Seven of the top 10 are younger than 25.
Mitchell is still the most inexperienced player in the ranking. Every other cornerback has at least two seasons of NFL experience, while Mitchell only has one full year under his belt. That doesn't mean he's not one of the most revered secondary players in the league already.
"Loved him coming out — heard a lot about him throughout the season, and it looked like teams tried to find ways to throw away from him," an NFL coordinator told Fowler. "He proved to be able to handle 1s."
Prior to Mitchell's arrival in Philly, the Eagles' passing defense was a mess. They couldn't cover anybody, which led to defensive coordinator Sean Desai being fired and replaced by Fangio. The Eagles used their draft capital to revamp the secondary, drafting Mitchell in the first round and Cooper DeJean in the second.
Mitchell earned a starting spot on the outside, which put a lot of pressure on him right away. Some questioned whether he faced enough competition at Toledo, but that narrative was quickly put to bed. Mitchell delivered, only allowing 41 total receptions for 427 yards as the primary defender last season.
He earned the nickname "Quintanamo Bay" due to his ability to completely lock up opposing teams' best wide receivers. The 24-year-old is one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL.
For the foreseeable future, Mitchell is going to be a cornerstone of the Eagles' defense. Darius Slay was a consistent fixture in the secondary since 2020, but with the veteran gone, it's Mitchell's time.
It's still extremely early, but Mitchell's skill at such a young age have people imagining what the future holds. If his rookie year was a sign of things to come, then he could go down as one of the Eagles' best-ever cornerbacks.
