Tag: Quinyon Mitchell

Why Rams-Eagles could decide Defensive Rookie of the Year race

Jared Verse and Quinyon Mitchell will both be on the big stage Sunday night as they battle for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors

Defensive Rookie of the Year isn’t quite a two-man race with seven weeks to go, but it’s quickly becoming one. Rams edge rusher Jared Verse has been the odds-on favorite to win the award for several weeks and though he had been pulling ahead after recording 3.5 sacks in Weeks 8-10, Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is closing the gap.

As of now, Verse is -190 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at BetMGM. Mitchell is second at +320, with Laiatu Latu a distant third at +2000.

Even if he hasn’t spoken publicly about it, this is an award Verse would surely love to win. He can make a huge statement on Sunday night in a marquee matchup against Mitchell and the Eagles.

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This prime-time matchup could even decide the Defensive Rookie of the Year race between Verse and Mitchell.

Awards like this one aren’t cut-and-dry. There’s a human element beyond just looking at a player’s year-long statistics because, well, humans vote on the award.

It’s why a nationally televised game between the two favorites to win Defensive Rookie of the Year could determine whether it’s Verse or Mitchell hearing their name announced at the NFL Honors show in February as the top rookie of 2024.

If Verse goes out and has a multi-sack game like he did on Thursday Night Football against the Vikings in Week 8, he’ll solidify his place as the favorite. He’s been dominant all year and if he keeps that up under the bright lights at SoFi Stadium, voters will take notice.

On the other hand, if Mitchell locks up Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, it’s possible he’ll narrow the gap even more on Verse. He probably won’t overtake the Rams edge rusher this week, but it could become closer to a toss-up if he dominates and Verse struggles.

Barring a late-season surge from Latu, Braden Fiske, Kamari Lassiter or Cooper DeJean, Defensive Rookie of the Year is likely to come down to Verse and Mitchell. Sunday night’s game in Inglewood could help decide which one prevails as the top defensive rookie in football.

The world will be watching, including those voting on the award, so if there’s ever been a time for Verse to have a standout performance, that time is now.

Ron Jaworski compares Quinyon Mitchell to a Hall of Fame cornerback

Ron Jaworski compares Philadelphia Eagles star rookie Quinyon Mitchell to Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders

Quinyon Mitchell has been the talk of the NFL world for weeks now and gained the attention of former Eagles great Ron Jaworksi after the rookie cornerback held Terry McLaurin without a catch in Philadelphia’s Week 11 win.

Mitchell has played a major part in the Eagles’ having the NFL’s No. 2 ranked pass defense (173.2 YPG), and Jaworski compared the former Toledo star to a Hall of Fame cornerback and current Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders.

Mitchell is the only NFL cornerback this season with 375+ coverage snaps and 0 passing touchdowns allowed this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Mitchell, who has limited opponents to a 51.1% completion percentage and 71.4 passer rating, also ranks 2nd among NFL CBs with a 23.4% forced incompletion percentage, behind Denzel Ward (31.3%) (min. 30 targets). Overall, the rookie ranks 3rd among NFL CBs with 11 forced incompletions, trailing only Ward (15) and Paulson Adebo (12).

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Eagles move to 8-2 after 26-18 win over the Commanders in Week 11

Eagles move to 8-2 after 26-18 win over the Commanders in Week 11

It was another ugly start with seven points left on the board, but Philadelphia continued to hit Washington with body blows, and the Commanders eventually folded. The Eagles have won six games in a row, and they’re 8-2 and in firm control of the NFC East after a 26-18 win over the Commanders on Amazon Prime’s ‘Thursday Night Football.’

Saquon Barkley set the tone and threw the knockout punches, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 avg) and two explosive touchdown runs.

Barkley scored 23 yards and 39 yards on plays to put Philadelphia up 26-10 before a late touchdown to Zach Ertz.

Washington was 3-12 on third downs, and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was sacked three times on the night while going 22 of 32 passing for 191 yards (6.0), one touchdown, and one interception, with an 81.6 rating. On the other side, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was 18 of 28 passing for 221 yards (7.9 avg), zero touchdowns, and an 88.5 rating.

Eagles cornerbacks hold Terry McLaurin to one catch, for ten yards in win

Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell holds Terry McLaurin to one catch, for ten yards in win over the Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin entered Thursday night football with 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 10 career games versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

That was before the Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean era.  McLaurin was held to one catch for ten yards in a game that saw the Eagles star slow and finish fast.

In the first half, McLaurin played 21 offensive snaps, logging zero catches, on zero targets. McLaurin finally logged his first catch after switching sides of the field, and recording a ten yards grab.

Eagles rookie CB duo has Darius Slay feeling like a proud dad

Darius Slay is highly impressed with Eagles rookies Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, calling the duo his children

Philadelphia saw how last season ended and decided to break from the usual script this past April, drafting Quinyon Mitchell in the first round and Cooper DeJean in the second round, solidifying their secondary for years to come.

The Eagles started the season out 2-2. Still, the lights went on defensively when Cooper DeJean entered the starting lineup following a training camp and preseason that saw the rookie out of Iowa miss time with a soft tissue injury.

Mitchell has been lights out from Day 1, and both players have made Philadelphia’s veteran and captain, Darius Slay, very happy. Talking to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia after practice on Friday, Slay jokingly referred to the young duo as “his children,” praising both players.

Among NFL CBs with 100+ coverage snaps, Cooper DeJean ranks 2nd in PFF coverage grade (85.3), trailing only Zyon McCollum (85.7). Quinyon Mitchell ranks T-5th among NFL CBs with nine forced incompletions (including a team-high 6 PDs), behind Denzel Ward (14), Paulson Adebo (12), Carlton Davis (10), and D.J. Reed (10).

Mitchell has held opponents to a 53.7% completion percentage and 76.1 passer rating.

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Eagles sign Quinyon Mitchell’s former college teammate to the practice squad

Philadelphia Eagles sign linebacker Dallas Gant to the practice squad, and release Braeden Daniels

On Monday, the Eagles made two practice squad moves: they released offensive lineman Braeden Daniels and signed free agent linebacker Dallas Gant.

Gant, a former college teammate of Philadelphia’s 2024 first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell, played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Toledo Rockets. After the 2024 NFL draft, the Vikings signed him as an undrafted free agent.

Gant transferred from Ohio State to Toledo and flourished with the Rockets, logging 11 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble as he helped the Rockets beat LIU 37–0 in his debut. Gant finished his breakout 2022 season with 116 tackles, 5.5 tackles a loss, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

Gant was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft and was also selected by the DC Defenders in the seventh round of the 2024 UFL draft in July.

Gant was waived by Minnesota in August and signed to the practice squad before being released last month.

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WATCH: Training camp battles with A.J. Brown have paid dividends for Quinyon Mitchell

Quinyon Mitchell told O.J. Spivey that summertime battles with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have prepared him for matchups with opposing WRs

In Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, the Eagles nearly gave the game away several times on offense, but Vic Fangio’s pass defense allowed the Birds to move to 6-2 with their fourth straight win.

According to Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, Philadelphia cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was targeted 5 times in Sunday’s win. Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence was 1-for-5 for 16 yards and a 39.6 passer rating targeting Rodgers when he was the primary defender.

Lawrence only went at rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell once on Sunday, and that’s starting to be the trend, with opposing quarterbacks respecting the former Toledo defensive back after just nine weeks in the NFL.

Part of Mitchell’s quick maturation stems from summertime battles and trash talk with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and the rest of the Eagles wide receiver group.

After Sunday’s win, Mitchell told O.J. Spivey of the Philly Tribune what had contributed to his quick and successful transition.

According to PFF, Mitchell has a 79.8 passer rating allowed, and over his past four games, he has allowed just five receptions for 41 yards as the primary defender.

In his Week 8 matchup against All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Mitchell allowed just one catch for a first down in coverage.

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Eagles vs. Jaguars: Best photos from Philadelphia’s 28-23 win in Week 9

We’re looking at the top photos from the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9 at Lincoln Financial Field

Nick Sirianni left 8+ points on the board with questionable calls, but Philadelphia got stops on defense when needed.  The Eagles moved to 6-2 on Sunday afternoon with a 28-23 win over Jacksonville. A.J. Brown was forced to exit with a knee injury. Still, Saquon Barkley made highlight-reel plays, and DeVonta Smith was a rock as the Eagles’ offense struggled to put the Jaguars away. However, it was functional enough to stay within a game of Washington in the division. With preparation for Dallas set to begin, we’re looking at the top photos from Sunday’s big win. ***

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Key matchups

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 9 coming off a rough loss to Green Bay at home and look to get back into the win column in a tough road matchup in Philadelphia.

However, the Jaguars may be without several key players at key positions this weekend. This could pose some issues for a team that is looking to secure their second win in three weeks. A win against the Eagles could boost a ton of confidence into a roster and coaching staff that needs it.

Philadelphia has seemed to right the ship after a rocky start to the season, having played some of its best football in all phases in recent weeks. Jacksonville looks to slow their momentum and steal the home field advantage in this weekend’s late Sunday afternoon bout.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at a couple of the key matchups against the Eagles that could be critical in securing win No. 3 for the Jaguars.

Jacksonville’s skill players vs. Philadelphia’s secondary

The Jaguars got beat up this past weekend against the Packers.

Standout slot receiver Christian Kirk went down with a broken collarbone and is out for the season. Rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. is said to be a game-time decision with a rib injury but head coach Doug Pederson suggested earlier this week it will likely come down to pain tolerance for team’s top playmaker. Receiver Gabe Davis is also nursing a shoulder injury.

This means second-year wideout Parker Washington, top tight end Evan Engram, Tim Jones, and a practice squad call-up could be the ones trotting out against a sound Eagles secondary.

Philadelphia is getting some quality play from some of their younger talents, including rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. While Darius Slay is out with a groin injury this week, the Eagles have capable depth in Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers.

Their safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, and Sydney Brown make up the rest of a secondary that is built to take on the vertical stretching ability of the Jaguars offense.

The Eagles 57.1 passer rating against deep targets is the fifth-lowest in football, according to Next Gen Stats. This doesn’t bold well for Trevor Lawrence skill players, especially if Thomas can’t go this weekened.

Yet, should Thomas be healthy, it will be a significant boost for an offense that will need him to continue to be the top playmaker he has been this season. Look for the Eagles to play plenty of disguised coverages from a Cover 3 base alignment that will allow them to rotate to play more match and quarters coverage.

Jacksonville’s defense vs. Philadelphia’s offense

This is seemingly nightmare fuel for a Jaguars defense that is in the bottom-five in most statistical defenses.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley have been terrors on the ground against opposing defenses. These two have allowed the Eagles to field the second-best rushing offense in the NFL behind the juggernaut Baltimore Ravens run game.

It doesn’t help that wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have been outstanding this season in the passing game, posing more trouble for a lowly Jaguars secondary.

Jacksonville has struggled to penetrate the backfield consistently this season despite the talents of pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker along with interior linemen DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead. Inconsistency has been a constant theme for defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen and his defense overall.

Putting it bluntly, this is not a well-coached defense and a man-heavy system that has put players on all three levels in a disadvantageous position. However, the key to finding some improvement is simple: an increase in zone coverage variations and blitzes.

Jacksonville has the lowest blitz-rate in the league and that must change if they want to give their secondary a chance to make plays on pressure-influenced passes. If this were to happen Sunday and the Jaguars force Hurts into bad decisions with the football, there is a path to a successful day against a strong Eagles offense.

WATCH: Brian Dawkins credits Cooper DeJean for Eagles defensive improvements

Brian Dawkins credits Cooper DeJean for unlocking Eagles defense under Vic Fangio and the vast improvement for Philadelphia

We knew Cooper DeJean was going to impact the Eagles’ secondary, but after a 2-2 start, Vic Fangio’s defensive unit has been elite since the former Iowa star entered the starting lineup following the Week 5 bye. Legendary Hall of Fame defensive back Brian Dawkins sat down with The Eagles Wire to discuss mental health, his salute to service, and the growing pains in Philadelphia.

Dawkins praised Vic Fangio for getting comfortable and blitzing even more and then raved about Cooper DeJean and what he brings to the Philadelphia defense.

When asked about DeJean’s performance at the slot cornerback position as a rookie fresh out of college, Dawkins credited the former Iowa star with unlocking Fangio’s defense scheme even more.

Dawkins has a point, with DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell giving the Eagles dynamic versatility in the secondary. Among NFL cornerbacks with 75+ coverage snaps, DeJean ranks 2nd in PFF coverage grade (86.9), trailing only Marlon Humphrey (87.3).

His running mate has been just as dominant.

Quinyon Mitchell leads the Eagles with 6 PDs and ranks 3rd in the NFL with nine forced incompletions, behind Paulson Adebo (12) and Denzel Ward (12) (according to PFF). Mitchell has held opponents to a 51.3%
completion percentage (9th among NFL CBs, min. 35 targets).

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