Jaguars may have just lost out on CB Quinyon Mitchell after superb 40-yard dash

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be picking outside the top 10 in the draft for the second straight year. There are several paths they could take at No. 17 but cornerback makes plenty of sense, with both Darious Williams and Tyson Campbell set to become free agents in 2025. If the Jags do go the cornerback path, they may have a hard time landing Qunyon Mitchell, who turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Mitchell ran a 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds. Nate Wiggins was even better, posting a 4.29-second mark. The trouble is that he suffered a hip flexor injury while testing, so you could make the case that Mitchell came out on top.

Regardless of how serious Wiggins' injury is (it doesn't appear like it's grave), he and Mitchell are both projected to go in the first-round pick. This would be great news if the Jaguars were the only team that was in need at the position but they aren't. There will be other clubs ahead of them that may also want to take a corner in the first round. This decreases the chances of either Wiggins or Mitchell being available at No. 17.

A three-year starter at Toledo, Mitchell can play both man and zone coverage, but Cory Giddings of the Bleacher Report scouting department thinks he's better suited for the latter. At 6'0" and 192", he's got great vision and outstanding speed to keep up with opposing receivers in deep routes.

On the other hand, the 2023 First-Team All-Mac needs to do a better job of wrapping up tackles and trusting what he sees in breaks, so his transitions are more efficient. But despite his flaws, Giddings thinks Mitchell will have a lengthy NFL career, arguing that he has the ceiling of a top-15 selection.

Quinyon Mitchell may not be a good fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars anyways

Quinyon Mitchell may not be a good pick at No. 17, even when you take into account his superb 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine. Make no mistake, he's a great prospect and will most definitely help the team that ends up drafting him. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars will probably be making changes to the scheme they run.

The Jags routinely played zone coverage last year but there's a strong chance they'll run more press under defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. This makes Mitchell a not-so-great pick for the Jaguars in the first round.

Maybe Mitchell can thrive with the Jags. As Giddings noted, he can also play press but Jacksonville may opt to pick a player who fares better in their scheme. They've previously been linked to Cooper DeJean, who didn't work out at the combine, and Kool-Aid McKinstry.

On the other hand, Mitchell's tangibles, along with his 40-yard time, could give the Jaguars something to think about. Heck, there's no guarantee that they'll go cornerback in the first round but they should most definitely keep their options open, especially if Mitchell is still on the board at No. 17 and both DeJean McKinstry and Terry Arnold are gone.

The truth is that the Scouting Combine is just one part of the evaluation process ahead of the draft. But there's no doubt Quinyon Mitchell made the most of his opportunity to impress the Jacksonville Jaguars and other teams.

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