Carlton Mitchell = Chris Henry (says USF WR coach)

[HAPPYJAQ]

Decent read on my favorite offensive player in the draft:

WR Mitchell might be nice fit for Bengals

By Carlos "Big C" Holmes | Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 09:07 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals are in search of a deep-threat receiver and could have their eyes fixed on South Florida speedster Carlton Mitchell in April's draft. In a receiving class short on playmakers and speed, the team interviewed more than 30 receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine, searching for that hidden gem.

Mitchell could be that guy and is likely to shoot up draft boards after his performance on Sunday, Feb 28.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Mitchell impressed scouts by running a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash. At least five teams had him clocked as low as 4.44. The junior receiver finished in the Top 10 among receivers in the 40-yard run, bench press (16 reps) and broad jump - 10 feet, 2 inches. Mitchell also showed good ball skills and athleticism during receiving drills.

Mitchell interviewed with Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and his staff Saturday night in Indianapolis.

"I don't know exactly how the team felt about me, but the vibe I got in the room, I say the interview went well," Mitchell said. "Coach Lewis was a very cool, laid-back guy. I'm actually a fan of the team and familiar with what they do offensively. It would be a great fit for me. I would love to play in Cincinnati."

South Florida receivers coach Phil McGeoghan believes Mitchell has what it takes both on and off the field.

"Carlton is very polished in terms of presentation," McGeoghan said during a recent phone interview. "He speaks well and does all the right things. He doesn't go out or drink. He's very focused and a spiritual young man. I think teams are going to be very impressed with the way he presents himself."

When asked to draw a comparison to Mitchell in terms of ability only one name came to mind.

"There are not too many people I would say Carlton is a lot like," McGeoghan said. "But if I had to pick one, I would say he's a lot like Chris Henry. Carlton is a guy who can come in and be a third receiver or spot-duty guy right away. He's a big size/speed guy and those types of receivers are hard to find."

McGeoghan went on to say that Mitchell is a work in progress because he's young, but does more good things on the field than bad.

Big C's take

Mitchell is a rare size-and-speed combination receiver that doesn't come along very often. He's extremely quick, explosive and athletic with nice hands and tremendous leg strength. Covering cornerbacks find themselves back on their heels rather quickly due to the receiver's outstanding acceleration. Aside from his ability to stretch the field, Mitchell is a physical blocker on the perimeter. He is said to be a very hard worker and a student of the game.

Areas for improvement: Coverage recognition … fine-tune route-running, better consistency catching the ball in traffic … needs to be more consistent catching the ball away from his body with his huge hands.

Mitchell is projected as third- to fourth-round selection but should see his value increase.

[ArmyBengal]

Needs to be more consistent catching the ball away from his body with his huge hands.

Are we considering drafting Jerome Simpson again ??

Honestly, I know nothing about him, but the "huge hands" comment smacks of another awesome 2nd round pick that has done nothing to this point.

[blueridge]

Regardless of how big Mitchell's hands are,he doesn't use them to catch the ball away from his body. There are two "highlight" videos of Mitchell on YouTube full of body catches. And these are his best plays. That's a big difference between him and Chris Henry-Slim was a natural hands catcher.