Don’t look away.
You might miss Keaton Mitchell scorching down the field for a touchdown.
The East Carolina standout rushed for 14 of those on 201 carries while gaining 1,452 yards on the ground last season.
And 100-yard rushing games?
Commonplace.
The sophomore had nine such games during the 2022 campaign. In the three games he didn’t eclipse the century mark, Mitchell had his three lowest rushing attempts of the season — 10 attempts twice and five the other outing. The five totes came against Navy in a game where he left early due to injury. He averaged 7.4 yards per carry on the year, a number that’s skewed by that Navy game where he only averaged 1.0 YPC.
On top of his rushing production, Mitchell added 27 receptions for 252 yards and a touchdown. The explosive back also showcased his open-field abilities in the return game and averaged 26.6 yards per return last season:
When he gets the ball in his hands, good things happen.
Mitchell was awarded first-team honors in the best Group of Five conference in football in consecutive years for a reason.
He declared for the NFL Draft on Jan. 2 and possesses a ton of qualities that could help him carve out a role at the next level. One of the most obvious of those is Mitchell’s speed. With a 4.35 40-yard dash time, he’s often dusting defenders:
Matched with his vision and ability to change direction on a dime, Mitchell had to have been one of the toughest players to tackle in college football last season. For an instant, he’ll be in front of a defender, and the next, he’ll be sprinting down the sideline. His lateral movement and balance allow him to bounce outside effortlessly and make a tackler wish he had taken a different angle.
With his burst, explosiveness, and breakaway speed, Mitchell almost resembles Christian McCaffrey when he gets in the open field or finds a crease. This is when he seems to excel the most.
At 5-foot-9, 184 pounds, Mitchell certainly isn’t the biggest running back in the draft. Perhaps a reason he resembles McCaffrey is because they’re both smaller guys at the position, but even McCaffrey has some size on Mitchell.
One of the downfalls of his build is that Mitchell struggles at times in pass protection. In the NFL, it’ll be even tougher for him to pick up blitzes or hold off bigger defensive linemen. And if he’s unable to take the field on passing situations, it would limit his receiving opportunities and the potential to get out in space on a screen or a dump off.
Outside of his size, there really isn’t much to not like about Mitchell. He had zero fumbles last season and only two during his three-year career. He’s a balanced, smart back.
As of now, Mitchell sits as a probable Day 3 selection. But with the running back turnover in the NFL, there’s always the real possibility that he could have a chance to prove himself sooner rather than later. Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was selected in the seventh round last April before having a breakout season and a great outing in the Super Bowl.
Situations like this provide hope for guys like Mitchell.
There are teams like the Los Angeles Rams, whose backfield was a mess last season, or Buffalo, who couldn’t find much consistency between James Cook and Devin Singletary, that could use a steal in the draft at running back – especially late.
Patience pays off, and Mitchell is certainly patient on the field. Hopefully he won’t have to be too patient, though, when it comes to showcasing his talent.
