The Philadelphia Eagles had one of the best draft classes last year when they selected two of the best prospects, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
Mitchell and DeJean lit it up in their rookie seasons, and the pair instantly became the franchise's future. DeJean quickly became a fan favorite and started his podcast with teammate Reed Blankenship, Exciting Mics. Mitchell also thrust into elite status with his "Quinyonamo Bay" nickname after being one of the best shutdown corners in the NFL.
Even with Mitchell's solid play last season in a full-time starting role, he hasn't gotten the respect he deserves against other young players under 25.
Mitchell was wildly not included in best players under 25 list
PFF writer Zoltán Buday went through his list of the best players out of the website's top 25 players under 25. While DeJean made the original list, Mitchell was shockingly left off the list.
"While one Eagles rookie cornerback — Cooper DeJean — made the original Top 25 list, DeJean's counterpart, Quinyon Mitchell, narrowly missed the cut.
Still, Mitchell was every bit as impactful for Philadelphia in 2024, particularly down the stretch. During the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, Mitchell earned an 83.1 PFF overall grade in the postseason, tied for the seventh-highest among 184 qualifying cornerbacks over the past five playoffs. In those four games, he allowed a passer rating of just 35.3, recording two interceptions while surrendering only 10 receptions and one touchdown.
Across the full season, Mitchell posted a 78.5 overall grade, ranking eighth among all cornerbacks."
Last season, Mitchell made 46 tackles and 12 pass deflections in 16 games. His postseason stats were even better with 14 tackles, four pass deflections, and two interceptions in four games leading up to the Super Bowl title. Mitchell was the runner-up for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Looking at more advanced stats to show Mitchell's greatness last season, he allowed a completion percentage of 54.7% and a quarterback rating of 87.2. While DeJean had the best PFF grade of any cornerback in the NFL last year, he played more in the slot while Mitchell was on the outside facing the best receivers in the league.
DeJean's excitement is understandable, and his momentum-shifting pick-six in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs was a game-changer. Mitchell might not have gotten the flashy interceptions, but he was the true definition of "shutdown cornerback."
Fans can expect Mitchell to be making note of his exclusion among the best young players and use his sophomore year to propel himself into the best of all NFL players in 2025.
