You may have recently heard Mike Mitchell's name mentioned as one of the Utah Utes' breakout prospects in 2024.
Despite already spending a full season with the team, Mitchell's name and abilities are largely unknown.
A four-star running back in the Utes' highly touted 2023 recruiting class, Mitchell spent his entire freshman season on the bench.
Not as an indication of his ability, but rather Utah's depth at the position, the team decided to redshirt Mitchell in his first college season. However, he returned on Utah's scout team.
In terms of ability, the 6-foot running back showed off his abilities in high school and was ranked 16th in the nation's running back rankings by ESPN.
Rob Gray – USA TODAY Sports.
As a starter at Oak Leaf and Middleburg High School in Florida, Mitchell finished his career with 240 carries for 2,002 yards. The Florida native had his best junior season to date, rushing for 1,378 yards and 18 touchdowns in just eight games.
While not as impressive as some high school standouts, Mitchell was clearly capable, having nine 100-yard games, 8.3 rushing yards per carry, and 22 touchdowns. Additionally, he scored 22 rushing touchdowns in 240 attempts, with nearly 10 percent (9.2%) of his high school carries leading to a touchdown.
Mitchell's commitment to Utah came as somewhat of a surprise after in-state programs like Florida State and Florida State belatedly resumed signing their star players. Despite the pressure from these programs, Mitchell remained solid, stating that the Utah running back's versatility was a key factor in his commitment.
“I love the way they utilize their running backs… They use them to run the ball and catch the ball, and that's what I want to do. That's what I do now. I can play the slot, I can run the ball, and that's it.'' “The reason Utah likes me so much is because I'm so versatile. I can do anything.'' You can, and that's what Utah does…Running backs can basically do everything, so that's what I focused on…”
Almost a year after first signing up, it looks like Mitchell will finally get a chance to make an impact this season with the Utes.
Seemingly overnight, head coach Kyle Whittingham, offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, and running backs coach Quinton Guenther have all begun praising Mitchell's abilities, with Whittingham calling him a member of the team's 2020 He was even named a “standout” for the first spring practice of the year.
Mitchell looked explosive and versatile during the Utes' first week of spring practice, traits that come as no surprise given his lightning-fast 100-meter dash of 10.81 seconds. What has changed is Mitchell's size, and at a glance you can tell he's benefiting from the Utes' strength and conditioning program.
With a linebacker-like build, formidable straight-line speed, and the ability to quickly cut through traffic, Mitchell appears to have all the tools necessary to make a name for himself in Utah's running back rotation in 2024. is.
