Lance Mitchell, Senior, Safety, Oregon State
Overview:
It took a couple years for Lance Mitchell to work his way up Oregon State’s pecking order, but once he earned the starting job as a sophomore in 2009, Mitchell made his mark. It was during that season when the safety tallied 72 tackles and looked like an experienced veteran instead of a first year starter.
Mitchell turned into a leader of the secondary as an upperclassman. He ranked third on the team with 74 tackles and added two interceptions, three pass breakups and five passes defended. A knee injury hindered Mitchell’s progress heading into the 2010 season, but that did not slow him down.
Final Projection:
Mitchell could emerge as one of the better safeties in the 2012 NFL Draft class. At 6-2 and 207 pounds, he has the size to lay out the big hit. However, Mitchell is also relatively quick and can chase down the ball carrier or make up ground and breakup a pass. Mitchell will need to develop his instincts during his senior season so he can better use his speed and strength to be involved in more plays.
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