With the 2024 NFL draft on the horizon, the Denver Broncos have glaring holes at key positions across the roster. One of those positions is cornerback, with no suitable complement to All-Pro Patrick Surtain II.
NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has the Broncos filling that hole by selecting Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell with the No. 12 pick.
“Denver can look to improve a defense that ranked 30th in yards per play allowed (5.8) last season and pair Mitchell with Pat Surtain,” Kiper wrote in his April 10 mock draft. “Mitchell, my top-ranked cornerback, had 46 pass breakups in four seasons at Toledo, and he ripped off an elite 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He’s ready to play early and often as a rookie.”
Mitchell was a two-time First-team All-MAC selection with the Rockets during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
While the Toledo star would be a solid addition to the Denver defense, he was not Kiper’s first choice. Instead, Kiper talked himself out of the Broncos taking Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the pick.
“I just don’t think Nix is a first-round signal-caller. I have a Round 2 grade on him based on everything I’ve seen on tape,” Kiper wrote.
Kiper cited Oregon’s offensive limitations as the basis for his grade. According to him, Nix saw his average pass travel 6.3 yards down the field, which was the sixth shortest among 125 qualified FBS signal callers.
Kiper Has Mitchell as His Top-Ranked CB in the 2024 NFL Draft Class
Mitchell will likely be a foundational piece for any team looking to improve its defense. Kiper has the Toledo star as the top-ranked cornerback on his “Big Board” of 2024 NFL draft prospects.
The draft expert listed Mitchell as the No. 13 prospect overall between UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu and Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
“Mitchell is a ball hawk who had six interceptions in his final two seasons at Toledo,” Kiper wrote on April 5. “In his four-year career, he finished with 46 pass breakups. He’s technically sound and instinctive; he didn’t allow a single touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage in 2023. He has the speed and ability to close on the ball and jar it loose from a receiver. He’s also a solid tackler in run support.”
Mitchell had 40 total tackles, one interception and 19 passes defensed in 13 games with the Rockets in 2023.
Last season, he became the first Toledo player ever named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the top defensive player in college football.
Locking Down Surtain Is Essential to Successful Broncos Rebuild
If the Broncos are going to find success under head coach Sean Payton, the team must sign Surtain to a long-term extension.
Surtain has been among the top performers at his position since being taken ninth overall in the 2021 NFL draft. Is a contract extension looming for the Alabama product?
General manager George Paton expressed a desire to re-sign Surtain at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
“We’ll work on that,” Paton told reporters on February 27 regarding picking up Surtain’s fifth-year option. “I would say it’s pretty close. That’s an easy one.”
The third-year defender amassed a career-high 69 combined tackles and had one interception in 17 games last season.
Comments
Broncos Predicted to Add Top-Ranked CB to Pair With All-Pro Patrick Surtain II