From now till the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as attainable, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and what they will convey to an NFL franchise. These gamers might be potential high 10 picks, all the best way all the way down to Day 3 picks and precedence undrafted free brokers. In the present day, I’ll be profiling one Louisiana deal with, Max Mitchell.
#74 Max Mitchell, Offensive Deal with, Louisiana (Sr.) — 6062, 307 lbs.
Senior Bowl/Mix.
MEASUREMENTS
| Participant | Ht/Wt | Hand Measurement | Arm Size | Wingspan |
| Max Mitchell | 6062/307 | 10 | 33 1/2 | 80 3/8 |
| 40-Yard Sprint | 10-Yard Sprint | Quick Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.32 | 1.83 | 4.65 | 8.09 | |
| Broad Leap | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 8’10” | 25″ | N/A |
The Good
— Has the prototypical measurement to play deal with at NFL
— Performed each proper deal with and left deal with, generally switching between drives in the course of video games
— Nice combo blocker
— Extraordinarily fast off the road, helps him get to the second stage
— Good reactionary athleticism and foot quickness to reflect
— Exhibits superior hand utilization
— Has the urgency and quickness to get into place persistently to seal off lanes within the run recreation
The Dangerous
— Finds himself on the bottom an excessive amount of
— Might stand to get stronger to assist with anchor in opposition to bull-rush and pace to energy
— Performs top-heavy, inflicting him to duck his head and overextend at occasions
— Struggles with pace off the sting
— Must work on flexibility to cope with flexible move rushers
— Falls off blocks on the second stage a faster than one would really like
Bio
— 2021 All-Solar Belt First Crew
— 2020 All-Solar Belt Second Crew
— 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl Participant
— 2020 & 2021 Joe Moore Award semifinalists
— Over 40 profession begins
— 90+ total PFF grade in 5 of 13 video games (2021)
— Allowed solely 13 pressures throughout 430 pass-blocking snaps in 2021 (per PFF)
— 2-star prospect popping out of Neville Excessive College in Monroe, La
— Advertising main
Tape Breakdown
Louisiana’s Max Mitchell has an opportunity to be the third Ragin’ Cajun offensive lineman to be drafted in 3 years. Guards Robert Hunt and Kevin Dotson have been taken within the second and fourth rounds respectively by the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. Mitchell was additionally a staple on the 2019 Louisiana offensive line that included Hunt and Dotson as he began all 14 video games. The 2019 offensive line paved the best way for a speeding assault that ranked within the high 10 for nearly all main speeding classes. The road itself was ranked fifth nationally and first within the Solar Belt in sacks allowed with just one.07 sacks allowed a recreation.
The offensive line nor the Ragin’ Cajun run recreation decelerate over the course of 2020 or 2021 whereas being anchored by Max Mitchell and his 40-plus profession begins. Let’s check out what he can convey to the desk.
Per PFF, Mitchell was the highest-graded deal with in all of faculty soccer in 2021 with a 94.8 total grade. He allowed solely 13 pressures throughout 430 pass-blocking snaps and in the event you activate his tape in opposition to Texas you may see why.
Under, you may see Mitchell lined up on the proper deal with spot. He shortly diagnoses the sting rusher dropping into protection and retains his head on a swivel to see the inside defensive lineman increasing to him. Watch how fast and aggressive he’s in a position to punch and stun the rusher. Then he brings his toes with him to reflect the defender. Whereas the play ended up a sack, it was no fault of Mitchell.
That is the way you noticed most of Mitchell’s move rush reps go. He seems to be extraordinarily comfy having the ability to mirror defenders and his size helps him get the primary efficient punch early to regulate the rusher.
One of many flaws of many younger linemen is successfully stopping inside counter strikes by rushers. Check out Mitchell. The defender goes for an inside spin, he doesn’t panic he has the lateral quickness to leap inside and successfully pin the rusher to his guard. Nice rep.
Whilst you can’t complain a lot a few 3% strain fee from Mitchell, he does have some flaws which have proven up on tape and can have to be fastened on the subsequent stage.
The primary is his tendency to be top-heavy and overextend into defenders inflicting him to fall. This occurs within the run recreation and the move recreation every so often. Whereas the defender on the rep under is working a push/pull transfer, you may see how top-heavy Mitchell is, not staying inside his base. Performs like this occurred a few occasions a recreation within the ones I watched, which is why I marked him being on the bottom extra typically than you’d like on your deal with.
The opposite factor that I seen Mitchell combating was pace off the sting. Whereas he’s usually fairly good at working guys up the arc, a few of the faster, extra versatile, rushers are in a position to bend underneath him. Right here, it ends in an enormous hit on the quarterback.
Being a component a Louisiana workforce that’s yearly a high working workforce within the nation, Mitchell may also convey it in that a part of the sport. Whereas he gained’t be a typical road-grader by any means, he definitely has the power to contribute to a profitable working recreation.
Watch Mitchell right here on the aim line. He’s in a position to explode off the ball and beat the defensive lineman to the spot, sealing off an enormous gap for his working again. Straightforward landing. He exhibits some good core energy to have the ability to maintain his block whereas being tripped up by his personal teammate.
Whereas I see some areas that Mitchell lacks athleticism, his short-area quickness just isn’t certainly one of them. Watch him shoot off the ball for this down block. Quantity 97 for App State stands no probability as Mitchell simply washes from out of the play even earlier than getting assist from his guard.
Constructing off of that, Mitchell additionally excels on attending to the second stage on combo blocks. Watch how shortly he’s in a position to attain the linebacker after which continues to bully him 10-15 yards down the sphere, even forcing one other defender to journey on his journey. Nice rep.
With 40+ faculty begins comes some soccer IQ to associate with it. That is one thing else you noticed a ton on Mitchell’s tape. He is aware of the place the play goes and lets the defenders take themselves out of it. Right here, on an outdoor zone play, Mitchell sees his defender run upfield and easily rides him up and out of the play, clearing the sting for the again to get exterior and rating a landing.
The final play, I figured I’d deal with you to some pancakes for sticking round this lengthy. Whereas I believe Mitchell’s total play energy is one thing he can work on, it doesn’t imply he can’t end a block each on occasion. Under, in opposition to Iowa State, you may see he’s in a position to blow the tip off the ball (with a little bit assist from his guard) after which he finishes the block by burying the defender into the bottom.
Conclusion
Mitchell has numerous good tape from his 3 years as a starter at Louisiana. Whereas many of the Ragin’ Cajun opponents have been from the Solar-Belt, Mitchell additionally confirmed up and carried out effectively in opposition to power-5 groups like Texas and Iowa State. With that and his PFF grading him out as one of the best deal with in faculty soccer final yr, it’s possible you’ll assume he’s a sure-fire first or second-rounder. Nevertheless, I nonetheless see the failings in his recreation in opposition to pace and energy rushers as a motive for warning. These worries have been solely compounded on the Senior Bowl. Whereas Mitchell not at all had a nasty week you noticed the failings confirmed in opposition to pace to energy guys like Jermaine Johnson, who planted Mitchell a couple of occasions in the course of the week.
Mitchell has the traits to be a profitable deal with within the NFL, it simply might take a couple of years of pro-level teaching and weight coaching to get him to his full potential. That potential is why I see him probably going as excessive because the third spherical, however assume it’s seemingly a workforce will be capable of snag him early on Day 3.
Projection: Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 – Uncooked Traits/Upside Prospect (4th Spherical)
Video games Watched: at Texas (2021), vs Appalachian State (2021), at Iowa State (2020), at UAB (2020), at Senior Bowl (2022)
