Quinyon Mitchell does not have a highlight reel full of interceptions. That might be the only thing keeping him from being a household name. But if you ask NFL analysts who actually watch the tape, the Philadelphia Eagles might have one of the best young cornerbacks in the league on their hands.
Mina Kimes went on her show recently and laid out some numbers that are hard to argue with. According to Kimes, Mitchell allowed minus-0.16 EPA per target last season. That ranked second among all cornerbacks. The crazy part? He did it without a single interception.
“Quinyon Mitchell is so freaking good at football,” Kimes said. “The fact that he finished that high despite not getting his hands … he got his hands on the football; he had a lot of passes defensed, he just didn’t come down with it, which is the one area you want to see from him.”
She also pointed out that Mitchell allowed just 1.8 yards after catch per reception. That was the best mark in the entire league. His tight window rate? Forty-two percent. Also first. The NFL average is 25 percent.
“The dude is like glue,” Kimes added. “He is so, so complete as a corner. He just needs to get some interceptions.”
CBS Sports’ JP Acosta sees the same thing. He says the biggest difference under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this season was how often they left Mitchell on an island. Fangio’s defenses are usually known for sitting back and letting plays develop in front of them. Not this year.
“They are willing to leave Quinyon Mitchell on an island and just let him go to work,” Acosta said. “And I think that aggression is something that Vic Fangio teams aren’t really known for.”
Acosta also noted that if the pass rush stays competitive, this defense could take another step forward. He compared the situation to what Miami had with Jaelan Phillips before the injuries. If Jonathan Greenard can become that kind of presence off the edge, the whole unit benefits.
Draft day doubts
Mitchell went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but it wasn’t a slam dunk pick at the time. Some experts thought Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, or Kool-Aid McKinstry were better prospects. Mitchell hasn’t given the Eagles any reason to regret their choice though.
Receivers who line up against him basically disappear. That’s why teammates started calling him Quintanamo Bay. It’s a joke, but it fits. Guys end up on his side of the field and you just stop hearing from them.
The only real knock on his game is the lack of picks. But when you force the highest rate of tight window throws in the league and allow almost no yards after the catch, you’re doing something right. The interceptions will probably come.
If they do, Mitchell won’t be a secret much longer.
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