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LB Mike Mitchell (transfer to Texas Tech, transfer to Southeastern FL)

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Re: Prestonwood linebacker Mike Mitchell, one of the state's top football recruits, said he could make an oral commitment in three or four weeks and that Ohio State is at the top of his list.

Any smart person would commit to a program (with a reputable head coach) before the start of football season; especially if he thinks he knows where he wants to go. You never know what can happen (i.e. injury wise) during a football game. Locking in a scholarship with a reputable school/coach (that will honor the commitment even if there is an unfortunate injury) is a great insurance policy.

:osu:
 
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Prestonwood LB Mike Mitchell has a skill set like no other
GREG RIDDLE
Staff writer
[email protected]
Published: 14 July 2012

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Matt Strasen / Special to DMN
Prestonwood linebacker Mike Mitchell had the highest score (154.47) in SPARQ?s four football-specific tests of power, linear speed and agility.

When Mike Mitchell aced ?the SAT of athleticism? and became a national champion, the Prestonwood Christian senior linebacker made the case that he?s the country?s top high school football athlete. And not just in the Class of 2013.

On July 6 at The Opening, a gathering of 150 of the nation?s top football recruits at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., Mitchell won the SPARQ rating national championship with a score of 154.47. Competing in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and kneeling power ball toss ? SPARQ?s four football-specific tests of power, linear speed and agility that produce an overall rating of athletic ability ? Mitchell showed an ESPNU audience why colleges are lining up to secure his services.

?This is the highest rating we?ve ever seen in the field,? SPARQ performance analyst Eric Hakeman said.

SPARQ, a division of Nike, has rated about 175,000 football players since 2004. That includes close to 17,000 this year alone.

Mitchell?s ?ability to be explosive in the upper and lower body are off the charts,? SPARQ performance director Paul Winsper said. ?His linear speed is off the charts. And his agility, both to accelerate and decelerate, are off the charts. We?re talking about a phenomenal athlete.?

That doesn?t tell the whole story for the 6-4, 216-pound Mitchell, who regularly works out at least four hours a day, six days a week.

He was offered a basketball scholarship and may try to walk on for that sport wherever he plays football. His father, Ken, an Atlanta Falcons linebacker in the ?70s, thinks his son could be used at running back and tight end in college, in addition to playing linebacker.

?There?s no doubt about what kind of athlete he is, but the way he plays football sets him apart,? Prestonwood coach Chris Cunningham said. ?There?s no SPARQ rating for heart, determination and the way he hits. There isn?t anybody better than him at those things.?

All-Pro comparisons

Asked to compare Mitchell?s rating with those of notable athletes, SPARQ offered two examples: Pro Bowl linebackers Brian Orakpo of the Washington Redskins and Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers.

Both were tested before 2008, when SPARQ replaced the bench press with the power ball toss and started to factor in a player?s weight when determining his rating in the vertical jump. But SPARQ has calculated an estimated range for where both players would score using today?s method. Orakpo?s range was 108 to 125; Matthews? was 61 to 71.

?Mike Mitchell reminds me of a young, smaller Brian Cushing,? said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell, comparing Mitchell to the Pro Bowl linebacker for the Houston Texans. ?He has the same build, the same mannerisms. He has the same work ethic.?

cont....
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/hi...ke-mitchell-has-a-skill-set-like-no-other.ece
 
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"Mike Mitchell reminds me of a young, smaller Brian Cushing," said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell
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Slightly off topic, but no kidding Cushing is bigger after hitting the roids hard combined with years in an NFL S&C system.

Cushing was listed at 6'4" 216 by Rivals out of high school so they are arguably the exact same size at a comparative age.

Throwing in "younger, smaller version" seems like a stupid/obnoxious/unnecessary thing to say when making that comparison.

Oh well, like I said- off topic.
 
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cushing

I grew up 10 minutes away from Bergen Catholic where Cushing went to high school, and played against him. Regarding the size comparison btw cushing and mitchell, cushing was well known to be a steroid user from his early high school days. I'm not bashing him or claiming he definitely did roids. I will say that I've heard it from his own BC teammates that he was juicing, and that it was common knowledge back in the day. Back to Mitchell, just wanted to throw that in there for anyone comparing the 2 of them.
 
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Although Mitchell grew up in Winter Park, Fla., he's been in Texas for more than two years, long enough to earn the respect of his peers.
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Maybe this is common knowledge to folks who pay for content, but I am just now realizing that if he used to live in Winter Park, his youth consisted of his nearest major college winning 2 national titles.

Not to get carried away, but I could see him being a tight end, running back, slot receiver, H back, nickle back, safety, punt blocker, and kickoff/punt coverage ace. Admittedly, these positions cannot be played at the same time.
 
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