Browns 6th Round Pick I: Carlton Mitchell

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Well I have to give this entire draft a nice big fat captial A.

I wouldn't go that far. Maybe a B- but not as much as I expected for all the picks we started out with.

Haden, I love. Great pick. We had to take him.

Colt McCoy is the gem of our entire draft. I've loved this kid for a long time. If you ask me, he's the gem of the QB's in this draft. Top QB prospect in this draft in my humble opinion. Hopefully, the kid has time to sit and learn from some football greats and can be mentored by Delhomme and the Holmgren machine.

Carlton Mitchell is a must pick at the spot where we took him. He has size and fairly good speed. No one is going to 'rough him up' when he's going for the ball. Great hands, too. He'll be a great blocker on the line.

Lauvao is a very good pick. I think we've done some tremendous things to build a great o-line for next season.

Asante is good against the run which was absolutely horrible for us last year. But, questions remain on his ability to cover.

I still don't understand trading up to get Hardesty and losing so many picks when he would have probably fallen into our laps. Hardesty and Ward both have injury histories. Ward is a heavy hitter so I have to say that I'm okay with that pick.

I'm a little disappointed we didn't pick up a linebacker. Dekoda Watson was still on the boards when we picked Geathers. Geathers, like I've said, is a major project with off the field issues. Watson would have been a great backup right away and a possible starter in little time at all.

So, I'd have to give the draft a B-. But, a much greater improvement on years gone by. Much much much greater improvement!

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Leon part 2?

He's actually faster and bigger than Leon and doesn't have the inferiority complex...I'm sorry, cockiness of Leon.

Scouting report from CBS:

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Overview

A physical receiver in the mold of Denver's Brandon Marshall, Mitchell became the Big East Conference's premier deep threat as a junior, despite missing several games with an ankle sprain. He played in just 37 games for the Bulls, but he set both the school career (1,648) and season (706 in 2009) records for receiving yardage.

"Carlton can flat fly," USF wide receivers coach Phil McGeoghan stated recently. "He has all the tools, all the ability. He is very diligent in his route running and his assignments. He is getting better, I see him improving everyday. He comes out here, works early and stays late. Carlton Mitchell is just a very talented guy who is big, tall, athletic, and has all the gifts you want in a receiver."

What surprised many within the Bulls organization was Mitchell's decision to forgo his senior season to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. With his injury issues and playing in a run-oriented offense at USF, the talented split end has never caught more than 40 passes in any season, or scored more than four touchdowns in a campaign. He reached his decision before USF had fired coach Jim Leavitt, so the two transactions aren't directly related.

No one can question his athletic bloodlines. Mitchell also performed on the USF track team, competing in the 400 meters and the long jump during the 2007-08 outdoor campaign. His father, Carl Mitchell played professional basketball in Europe. Even his mother, Angela, has long ties to the sports industry. She presently serves as the "cut man" for professional boxer, Antonio Tarver.

Mitchell lettered three times in football and basketball at Gaither High School. He garnered All-County honorable mention from the Tampa Tribune and was a member of the Class 5A All-District V team during his senior season with the Cowboys. He was rated the 19th-best player in Tampa Bay area by the St. Petersburg Times.

The senior was ranked 64th-best player in the state of Florida by Rivals.com, placing 55th among the nation's receivers. Scout.com ranked him as Florida's 87th-best prospect, even though he played in a ball controlled offense that limited him to nine catches for 207 yards as a junior.

Mitchell spent the 2006 season at the University of South Florida performing on the scout team. Even though he started just five games in 2007, he set the school freshmen season-records with 37 receptions (led the team) for 537 yards (rank fifth on the USF annual record list), as his four touchdowns were one shy of another freshman mark. He was the only player on the team to gain over 100 yards receiving in a game in 2007, accomplishing that feat twice.

Mitchell had a "sophomore slump" that relegated him to just three starting assignments in 2008. He placed fourth on the team with 28 catches, gaining 405 yards (14.46-yard average) with one touchdown. He added a pair of solo tackles and produced at least one reception in 10 games, including his final seven.

Mitchell received All-Big East Conference third-team honors in 2009. He led the team with 40 receptions for a school season-record 706 yards (17.65-yard average), that included four touch-downs. He suffered a left high ankle sprain vs. West Virginia that forced him to miss the Rutgers and Louisville contests, seeing limited action vs. Miami upon his return.
Analysis

Release: Gets to top speed much faster than expected for his height, eating up cushion and blowing by corners without great speed. Can hesitate to lull defender to sleep, then accelerate to get separation. Is not pressed much because of his size and speed, but seems comfortable giving a shake and using his hands to free himself from the jam.

Hands: Inconsistent hands and traps the ball against his chest more often than not on short to intermediate throws. Tracks balls over his shoulder, able to secure the catch when stretched out on deep balls or throws to the sideline. Excellent red-zone threat. Better adjusting to high throws than low ones, but can get down to make the grab if given room to do so. Loses concentration on easier passes at times.

Route running: Will round off routes at times, but sinks his hips coming in and out of routes pretty well for a 6-4 receiver. Stop and comeback routes are sudden, a dangerous combination with his potential as a deep threat. Uses a head fake to sell routes. Willing to find holes in zones over the middle.

After the catch: Not many tall receivers are used on quick screens, but his surprising quickness and length allows him to succeed. Turns on the jets after the catch, with his long strides making it difficult for defenders to catch him. Can be elusive on screens but fails to avoid defenders when on a dead run. Height makes him a target to be chopped down in the open field by better corners.

Blocking: Has the desire and length to take defenders out of the play when he knows the run is coming, but a failure to break down and mirror his man allows them to avoid his grasp. Runs hard and extends his arms to keep safeties at bay while blocking for fellow receivers downfield. Resorts to ineffective cut blocks at times despite have the size advantage on the edge.

Intangibles: Tough player who bounces up after the big hit. Confident, well-liked in the locker room who has worked hard to be more than a track star playing football.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1253970?tag=pageRow;pageContainer

And then you have a guy like Colston in New Orleans.. 7th rounder,,, everyone other than New Orleans totally whiffed on the guy.

But yeah, the likely hood of him becoming great,, ehhh,, the odds aren't good.

All I can say is this,, he's got size,, a ton of speed and he's physical.. If he takes the coaching.. he could be good..

j/c

Heckert on Mitchell:

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“Carlton’s a guy with great size and great speed,” said Heckert. “Why he fell as far as he did, I don’t have the answer to that. We’re happy to have him. He’s a little bit on the raw side; he’s going to need some time, but he showed flashes of being a really good player and we’re excited to work with him.”

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...c2-9db8042f2682

I tend to judge with my eyes and my mind and leave the stats a distant 3rd. I like to think I'm brutally honest and don't get attached to prospects the way some people do. I'm pretty disappointed with our draft class this year and I don't think half are going to amount to much (mostly becasue I'm a pessimist when it comes to injury history) but this kid intrigues me. I've watched about 2 hours of tape now on this kid... the highlight stuff on line but also a grip USF games I downloaded in entirety.. skimming though to pass plays. I think the body-catch stuff is over stated. It's like every 3rd or 4th catch is not hands-on. He actually seems like has good hands overall. He looks very fluid and has an excellent WR body. I mean he looks almost perfectly prototypical. His routes aren't so crisp and I definitely wouldn't say he's "explosive", he doesn't look so quick to me but quite fast once he's past initial acceleration. He's kind of a field stretcher.. not the typical WCO receiver I would have expected. I also watched the interview with him and he seems bright and positive, he gets his role and seems to understand everything that's going on. I think he makes the team and we might just be looking at a quality 2nd or 3rd receiver. We'll see.

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DiD, it's not that he cannot catch, it's that he sometimes has problems with body catching.

Carlton Mitchell has very good hands, he just is not natural RIGHT NOW. However, with some coaching, he can very easily become a #1 WR in the NFL. This guy is going to be very good, very quickly. He's going to be our Colston.

WHOA! Slow down there.

You guys need to remember, he is a 6th Rounder, while he has great potential, so do all late rounders do, which is why they are Boom or Bust picks.

You are making him out to be better then he is already. Let the guy play, and then judge. This is Cleveland's biggest problem. Give the guy a few years and then we'll see where he is, but saying he is our next Colston is ridiculous. Or even Brandon Marshall.

I remember James Davis Pre-Season performance, and people were calling for him to start already. Damn. Now, he may not even be on the squad.

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DiD, it's not that he cannot catch, it's that he sometimes has problems with body catching.

Carlton Mitchell has very good hands, he just is not natural RIGHT NOW. However, with some coaching, he can very easily become a #1 WR in the NFL. This guy is going to be very good, very quickly. He's going to be our Colston.

WHOA! Slow down there.

You guys need to remember, he is a 6th Rounder, while he has great potential, so do all late rounders do, which is why they are Boom or Bust picks.

You are making him out to be better then he is already. Let the guy play, and then judge. This is Cleveland's biggest problem. Give the guy a few years and then we'll see where he is, but saying he is our next Colston is ridiculous. Or even Brandon Marshall.

I remember James Davis Pre-Season performance, and people were calling for him to start already. Damn. Now, he may not even be on the squad.

Saying he's our Colston just refers to him being a good WR from the 6th round.

I expect him to get playing time this year. He's bigger, faster, stronger and has better hands than Stuckey.

I really hope he see's the field and opens up the offense. He has a ton of speed. With MoMass and Furrey coming back onto the offense again. We should have a good passing attack.

With the draft being as deep as it was in so many other positions, I don't think anyone really wanted to pick up a project WR in the Third. Could be a very good reason why he fell the way that he did.

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With MoMass and Furrey coming back onto the offense again.

Did we resign Furrey? I guess I missed that......

8) Carlton Mitchell, South Florida

Height: 6-3. Weight: 215.
Projected 40 Time: 4.48.
Combine 40 Time: 4.49.
Pro Day 40 Time: 4.40.
Vertical: . Broad: 10-2.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.

4/1/10: If Carlton Mitchell wasn't in "great player" territory, he is now. Mitchell ran a 4.40 at his Pro Day.

3/1/10: Running a 4.49 at 6-3, 215, Carlton Mitchell might be nearing "great player" territory. Can a raw receiver be overdrafted based on his measurables? As long as Al Davis is in the NFL, absolutely.

OK...The kids raw as per Heckert himself...That's PS material...

The one thing he does have going for him as someone suggested is the quality of competition on this roster...

If the kid takes to coaching...And Mcdonald knows anything about what he's doing...With the lack of decent receivers on this team he has a shot...I guess...

More importantly...We gotta get Robiskie on the field...No excuse why a 2nd round wide-out isn't STARTING...

I agree.. MoMass and Robo should be starting..

If you get time to re-look at those game films would you pay attention to some of the running plays too? I would love to hear how he blocks in the run game. With the way we are setting up the offense it looks like we want to be a power run team and wr's who can block can really make a difference.

How long r we gonna do Steptoe's????

Well I'm guessing at least one more year.
Hey Cribbs was a/an UDFA, so who knows.

I hold a higher opinoin of Quincy Morgan than you I guess, because I'd not lump him in with the Hubbards, Steptoe's and Jackson's (Frismond, not Michael ... or Michael either).

Hopefully Carlton Mitchell is more of a Tim Carter who can overachieve, than a Frismond Jackson, who was just real tall.

Heard the name Carlton Mitchell, I love your cigarettes ?

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How long r we gonna do Steptoe's????

Hopefully, at least one every year.

glad you like the value because i'm a bit shocked by the overall tone of this thread. thought for sure this would be a majority plus opinion of the pick.

yeah, the kid has holes in his game, but cmon, what 6th round pick doesn't.

end of the day, he was a guy most thought was going to go much higher in the draft but slipped down and we picked him. i think we got good value and he was one of the mid round guys I liked that we got late round.

i don't know if he'll be starting or anything this year (1st year WR's don't have the greatest track record), but hopefully he is able to learn and develop and is an option in our WR corps sometime this year or going into next year.

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end of the day, he was a guy most thought was going to go much higher in the draft but slipped down and we picked him. i think we got good value and he was one of the mid round guys I liked that we got late round.

No, after the season and film he was a late rounder at best...then he ran and had a great "measurables" offseason (being a track guy) and the draftniks pushed him up their boards....I think he never was a Top75 consideration for ANY team

even in his "highlight" vid that was put together you see 2 routes: crossing the short middle, and short outs...he takes time to pick up speed but he has some serious speed when he gets there

He is who I thought he was

...still would have picked B.White over him

I'm just happy we picked him in the 6th and not the 3rd

I wanted hm in the 5th. I thiught he a was a steal there.

When we got him in the sixth...i was estatic.

I was really hoping to get Price in the third but we went another direction instead.

that's not true. he was expected to run fast and did so. he wasn't one of those kids whose stocks fly up because he wasn't expected to run fast and did.

i didn't see his stock move all that much after the season. (though I trust about 4 sites, so others may be different).

I was hoping to get golden Tate when we traded up to #59 and when we didn't I was

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from nfl.com

Mitchell brings a rare combination of size and speed to this draft. He could definitely use another year in college but will be attractive to teams that are looking for a vertical passing attack thanks to his downfield speed and size. He shows a good burst coming out of his speed cuts but will chop down too much and waste steps on hard cuts for underneath routes. He has huge hands and can catch the ball in one hand at times but will try to catch too many passes in his body when he can. He is willing to go across the middle and catch the ball in traffic and is a physical blocker on the perimeter.

I hate reading the part in bold. Reminds me too much of QM

Another pick of great need that should have been taken already, like in the second round with Arrelious Benn 7.7 rating, with tremendous hands, speed, size and great route runner. Not to mention his YAC which is great, he also had no QB to get him the ball or might have been the #1 WR in the draft or close to it.

Now, would have been the time to take our QB project like MH said he would, in Dan LeFevour with a 6.4 rating. It also would not help make any potential QB conflick when Jake starts pitching his INT's. The fans won't be screeming for him like they will Colt in that situation. He has excellent speed and size faster than McCoy. He has a quick release, very intellegent, stronger arm, very accurate short and med passes. He's an extremely fierce competitor and could learn from Jake and Senaca. A great 6th round choice

I am sure glad you are not making those choices.

IMO....thats not the route i would have taken. And my route is different than MH and TH yet i believe they did what they feel helps the very team THEY know better than us.

My route seems better than yours which you feel is the better than mine and everybody on this site has a plan of picks that they feel is better than mine yours and any other.....and so the merry go round goes.

I hear ya but on the other hand.... Clark, Botch & SavagedUs makes some think we could do better.

We have a tried and proven FO for the first time since rebirth. We have guys who are proven and have succeeded at what they are doing. Does this guarantee success? Nope

I do feel they know better than me, you or anyone else on this board. Why?

They have been there and done that and been successful.

@ some point it would be nice to have the option to take a WR every other year in the 2nd - 4th round.. maybe a guy who fell for some reason.

More info on this pick
New york times

A Receiving Prospect Has His Mother in His Corner
By KAREN CROUSE
AVENTURA, Fla. — One day during his sophomore season at the University of South Florida, Carlton Mitchell pulled on a pair of sweat pants that had once belonged to the boxer Antonio Tarver, a family friend.

Some of the hand-me-downs that Mitchell receives from Tarver, a former light-heavyweight champion, still have their store tags attached. But this tracksuit had clearly been worn. When Mitchell dug his hands into the pockets, he found $1,000 in hundreds.

In the lead-up to this week’s N.F.L. draft, Mitchell has been like that wad of bills in his pocket: an unexpected find for the league’s talent evaluators, a pleasant surprise.

With a 40-yard-dash time of 4.49 seconds at the scouting combine in February, Mitchell flew onto N.F.L. teams’ radar. And at South Florida’s pro day last month, he continued to impress, improving that 40 result in front of a group that included Giants Coach Tom Coughlin.

Mitchell is 6 feet 3 inches and 215 pounds, with winged feet and hands so big they swallow most that he shakes. Last season, as a junior, he had 40 catches for 706 yards and 4 touchdowns.

If Mitchell’s physical gifts are the bait, some receiver-starved team may decide to reel him in in large part because of his character, perhaps as early as the second round. After he found the money in Tarver’s discarded sweat pants, there was never any doubt in his mind what he would do.

“It felt better giving it back to him,” he said. “It wouldn’t have felt right spending it.”

Speaking by telephone last week, Tarver said: “It was forgotten money. He didn’t have to give it back, but Carlton’s just that type of kid.”

Tarver and Mitchell are not related, but there is a blood connection. Both have the same strong woman in their corner; Mitchell’s mother, Angela, a nurse anesthetist in Tampa, has worked as a cut man for Tarver, the first fighter to knock out Roy Jones Jr.

She got her start in boxing several years ago when a doctor heard her talking about the sport in the break room and asked if she had any interest in working a bout in Tampa.

Tarver acknowledged that he was not initially keen on having a woman in his corner, but came around after he saw Angela Mitchell keep a local boxer in a match that he eventually won.

She raised Mitchell, 22, and his sister by herself after her divorce from Carl Mitchell, who played professional basketball for more than 10 years in Europe. One of the few predivorce memories Mitchell said he had of them as a family was a trip to the zoo when he was 6 when he chased — and caught — a squirrel, which then bit him.

His mother confirmed the story. “That’s when I knew he’s a heck of an athlete,” she said.

Angela Mitchell’s shifts at the hospital required her to rise before dawn, so Mitchell learned to set his alarm for 6 a.m. every weekday so he could shuffle into her room and talk with her for 30 minutes while she fixed her hair and applied her makeup.

They would discuss the news of the day. Sometimes, Mitchell’s mother would read him newspaper accounts of people who were in trouble, and they would talk about how and where they went wrong.

“I’d ask him, ‘What would you do different?’ or ‘How would you handle this situation?’ ” Angela Mitchell said.

During his freshman year in high school, Mitchell surprised his mother by announcing he was trying out for the football team.

“I walked off laughing,” she said. “I didn’t even think he knew the rules. Then he came home and said: ‘Guess what, Mom? I made the team!’ I was shocked. I said, ‘What position?’ ”

Mitchell started out as the punter. But in one of his first games, he leapt to retrieve a high snap and took off running. When he returned to the sideline, he said, the coach turned to him and said, “Son, do you want to play some receiver?”

When Mitchell decided to forgo his final season at South Florida to make himself available for the draft, he heard from a lot of people who thought he was making a mistake. They told him that he would have a chance to grow into a first-round pick if he stayed in college for another year of seasoning. Mitchell was unbowed.

“I’m not a follower,” he said. “I travel to the beat of my own drummer. I know what I want in life, and I just feel like this is my time.”

Tarver says that the people who suggest Mitchell is setting himself up to fail are, in effect, helping him succeed.

“Sometimes, you need the naysayers,” Tarver said. “If you have everybody picking your coat, sometimes you take shortcuts.”

Mitchell spent most of February and March working out in Miami, a short walk from a beach and a nightlife that he said he forsook to focus on perfecting his routes, decreasing his dropped passes and improving his diet.

“I learned from being around boxers that one night of drinking cancels out two weeks of working out,” Mitchell said.

He may avoid the social scene, but he is not antisocial. In fact, Mitchell has the same outgoing personality as his mother.

“In the elevator, if you make eye contact, we’re about to talk,” he said, laughing.

He grows serious when he talks about his mother’s influence on his life.

“She’s always been my main motivation,” Mitchell said. “I always try to do the right thing for her. I don’t ever want to make her look bad.”

Angela Mitchell will be proud to see her son drafted, but no more so than she was the day she received the call from Tarver about the money Mitchell returned that Tarver had not even missed.

“I was just like, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ ” she said. “He didn’t have any money, and he would do that? I always taught him to do the right thing. I told him, ‘You have to look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of who you are.’ ”

Her voice cracked. “I guess Carlton was listening,” she said.

wow, really nice bio article, thanks!

i like this kid a lot more hopefully, he catches on

Fun read.. always like to read good stuff on guys we draft..

Now, if only he can produce on the field,, we're talking perfect...

After reading the 1st couple paragraphs I couldn't help but wonder if this might spark an NCAA investigation.

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After reading the 1st couple paragraphs I couldn't help but wonder if this might spark an NCAA investigation.

Why, because of the grand he found and returned?

some of you guys read way too much into things.....

I really want to see this kid succeed. It seems like he has his head on straight.

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After reading the 1st couple paragraphs I couldn't help but wonder if this might spark an NCAA investigation.

Crossed my mind too.

It was posted half in jest because of how ridiculous the NCAA can be. But either you jumped to the conclusion that he returned the money or I missed that in the article.

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I like it! He doesn't have very good hands, but he has awesome potential.

Deep are you a USF fan? I can't remeber who I'm thinking about. However if you are I'll trust your opinon on the guy a lot more since you probabally saw him a lot.

Buckeyes all the way!

One of the things that I noticed during the press conference interview was that he was hesitant to tie himself too closely to Brandon Marshall even though the size and speed and university ties were obvious.

To me this seems as though he did not want to get tied into the soap box drama that is associated with Marshall. I think it is a wise move on his part, and it appears as though he has good upbringing from his mom.

It was good to read the story above.

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It was posted half in jest because of how ridiculous the NCAA can be. But either you jumped to the conclusion that he returned the money or I missed that in the article.

from the article:

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After he found the money in Tarver’s discarded sweat pants, there was never any doubt in his mind what he would do.

“It felt better giving it back to him,” he said. “It wouldn’t have felt right spending it.”

Speaking by telephone last week, Tarver said: “It was forgotten money. He didn’t have to give it back, but Carlton’s just that type of kid.”

From the article

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Angela Mitchell will be proud to see her son drafted, but no more so than she was the day she received the call from Tarver about the money Mitchell returned that Tarver had not even missed.

He gave the money back

I guess you missed that part.. would you have had the same thought had you caught that?

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From the article

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Angela Mitchell will be proud to see her son drafted, but no more so than she was the day she received the call from Tarver about the money Mitchell returned that Tarver had not even missed.

He gave the money back

I guess you missed that part.. would you have had the same thought had you caught that?

Why do you guess he missed it? He said after reading the first couple of paragraphs he had the thought, same as I did. By the time you read down further and see the part you quoted, the fleeting thought you had changes. He just admitted the thought crossed his mind not that he had formed an opinion based on it.

**edit**
Nevermind, I see where he said he missed it!

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Nevermind, I see where he said he missed it!

Yup,, that's why I responded.....

It was a long article and I just quickly skimmed it, so that's why I didn't see it. Though it still could spark an NCAA investigation. At least into the guy who gave him those clothes. Does that guy have any connection to the university or an agent? Even though he didn't keep the money, that could be a sneaky way for an agent or an alumnus to give players money.

And by no means am I suggesting that that is what was going on in this case. Just making a fanciful observation.