Name: Keaton Mitchell

School: East Carolina University

Year: Junior

Position: Running Back

Measurables: 5’8”, 179 lb

Combine: 40-yd dash: 4.37, 10-yd split: 1.48, vertical: 38”, broad jump: 10’6”, Three-cone(pro day): 7.4, 20-yd shuttle(pro day): 4.36, Bench(pro day): 13 reps

Stats:

Stats courtesy of sports-reference.com

General Info:

Mitchell was a three-star recruit out of Eagles Landing Christian Academy in McDonough, GA, choosing East Carolina over Nebraska, Temple, and USF. 

Mitchell started two of nine games as a freshman and ran for 440 yards on 88 attempts (5.0 avg) and scored two touchdowns, and added 11 catches for 75 yards. 

Mitchell broke out as a sophomore, starting all 12 games and rushing for 1,132 yards on 174 carries (6.5 avg) and nine touchdowns. He added 22 catches for 253 yards and one touchdown. Was named first-team All-AAC at running back. Led the American Athletic conference in rushing. 

Mitchell continued to shine as a junior, earning first-team All-AAC honors at running back for a second consecutive season. In addition to catching 27 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown, he rushed for 1,452 yards on 201 carries (7.2 avg). His 7.2 YPC was tied for sixth best in the country, and second amongst draft-eligible running backs (minimum 69 carries). Had zero fumbles on 228 touches. Had 54 runs of 10-plus yards, good for best in the nation. Also had 31 runs of 15-plus yards, the best mark in the nation (Stats per PFF).

Mitchell has just two fumbles on 523 career touches. Third-fastest forty-yard dash by a running back at the 2023 NFL scouting combine. Had 57 runs of 15-plus yards in his career. Achieved a 8.53 RAS score. Is a younger prospect, having just turned 21 in January. Had an official predraft 30 visit with the Packers. 

Positional Skills:

Strengths

Mitchell may have the best acceleration of any player in this year’s draft. He was the only running back to run his 10-yard split in under 1.5 seconds at the combine (1.48), and it shows on film. Mitchell looks like a rocket shot out of a cannon when he gets the ball in his hands. The forty time definitely matches the play speed. Is a big-play machine, churning out 57 runs of 15-plus yards in three seasons at ECU. 

Mitchell uses his vision exceptionally well to let his blocks set up, somewhat out of necessity due to his smaller size. When the blocks are set up, he turns on an extra gear and explodes through the hole. In the open field, he has elite breakaway speed. If he gets by a defender, they usually aren’t catching him. Only needs a small crease to create explosive runs. 

Being a smaller back allows Mitchell to be a lot shiftier behind the line of scrimmage. He displays elite speed to the edge on designed outside runs. Shows great change-of-direction ability, causing many whiffs from defenders. Isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder against imposing defenders, even as a small player. Would be a valuable asset on jet sweeps or outside zone plays.  

Mitchell displayed an above average receiving ability. He has natural hands and plucks the ball out of the air like a true receiver. Showed ability to get open on busted plays, evident against Temple in 2022 when he took a busted play to the house for a 73-yard score.   

He also showed elite ball security while in college, fumbling just twice in three seasons on 523 career touches. Had zero fumbles in 2022.   

Weaknesses

Mitchell’s small stature might be his biggest weakness. He doesn't display much “pop” at the point-of-attack, oftentimes getting bottled up if he doesn’t have a hole to go through; not the guy you want coming in on a third or fourth-and-short situation, or goal line situations. Mitchell needs a crease or gaping hole to be effective. 

Although elusive with phenomenal change-of-direction ability, often he seems to get jumpy in the backfield, trying to create a highlight-reel play on his own. He seems quick to want to bounce runs outside and use his speed to make up for his lack of power. Instead of running with his head down to gain an extra yard, he will jump backwards to try and gain the extra yard by outrunning defenders, usually resulting in a loss.

Mitchell only fumbled twice, but he dropped four passes on 34 targets in 2022. The drops appeared to be focus drops. Would need to clean this up if he wanted to be relied upon as a receiver out of the backfield. 

Pass blocking is an issue for Mitchell. Being small doesn’t help, but his technique needs refining. According to PFF, Mitchell allowed 10 pressures on only 61 pass block snaps in 2022. 

Mitchell may not be a true three-down back early in his career. Teams may be able to predict what play the offense is going to call when he’s in the game due to his one-dimension-ness. Would need to be with an innovative play-calling coach to be effective. 

Fit with the Packers:

Mitchell could be a diamond in the rough in the running back class. Due to his smaller stature and coming from a “lesser” conference, some teams may question how he will stack up against bigger players in the NFL. But in the right hands, Mitchell could be a game changer. 

The Chiefs took running back Isiah Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft and found a player that ended up starting and scoring a touchdown for them in the Super Bowl. Players like Pacheco and Mitchell are the types of players that teams like the Packers need to find in the later rounds in order to make deep runs in the playoffs. 

Mitchell is currently projected as a day three pick, likely somewhere in the fourth or fifth round. The Packers could use a player with Mitchell’s electric ability to step into an offense that is in need of more playmakers to take the burden off of Aaron Jones and he wouldn’t be as much of a risk by taking him on day three. 

A three-headed monster at running back of Jones, AJ Dillon, and Mitchell would keep all three fresh. And if Matt LaFluer got creative and had all three on the field at the same time, it would give opposing defensive coordinators fits. The all-around game of Jones, the bruising style of Dillon, and the electricity of Mitchell would be hard to defend. 

Green Bay currently has four running backs on the roster: Jones, Dillon, Tyler Goodson, and Patrick Taylor. The Packers stashed Goodson on the practice squad last year after a great showing in the preseason. Patrick Taylor got game action late in the season. Both have shown flashes, but neither has shown any game-breaking abilities to warrant not taking another running back in the 2023 draft. Dillon is in the final year of his rookie deal. Jones took a paycut to likely avoid being traded and will turn 30 during the season, which in the brutal world of NFL running backs is the wrong side of the age barrier to be approaching. 

Surrounding Jordan Love with weapons will be a necessity, and I believe Mitchell would thrive in Matt LaFluer’s offense as a change-of-pace back.