Keaton Mitchell NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Baltimore Ravens' UDFA RB

HEIGHT: 5'8 1/4"

WEIGHT: 179

HAND: 9 1/4"

ARM: 30 3/4"

WINGSPAN: 74 3/3"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.37

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 38"

BROAD: 10'6"

---

POSITIVES

— Excellent speed. Real threat to score from anywhere if he finds a crease.

— Good lateral explosiveness. Can cut and make people miss in space.

— Above-average flexibility and change of direction.

— Above-average receiving skills. Comfortable hands and good open-field movement skills.

---

NEGATIVES

— Small frame. Won't ever be able to carry a full NFL workload.

— Poor play strength and power. Struggles between the tackles; can't move piles.

— Poor vision and decision-making. Constantly tries to bounce runs.

— Small and fast, yet barely used as a returner in college.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 201 ATT, 1,452 YDS (7.2 AVG), 14 TD; 27 REC, 252 YDS, 1 TD

---

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247 Sports' composite rating

— 26 career starts

— 2021 and 2022 first-team All-AAC

---

OVERALL

Keaton Mitchell is a small, electric player who needs to find more strength and consistency as a runner.

Mitchell is an explosive play waiting to happen. He ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and that acceleration and speed is very evident on film. Mitchell flies to the perimeter and kicks into a different gear once he gets to stride out in space, giving him the potential to house it any time he touches the ball. Mitchell is also explosive laterally and plays with relatively smooth change of direction, helping him make moves that spring him into space.

Mitchell is always looking for those plays, too, which is necessitated by his size and lack of strength. He is always looking to bounce plays to the outside. Given his explosiveness and speed, it can pay off, but it also lends itself to a highly inconsistent production profile. That will be even more true in the NFL, where defenses are more sound and take better angles. Mitchell is not a reliable runner between the tackles right now, and he may never be at his size.

In turn, Mitchell needs to have value beyond just running. He is a mixed bag in that respect. On third downs, Mitchell has limited protection experience, but he's a nifty pass-catcher. He's got the speed and quickness to be a problem in space, and his hands are plenty good. On the other hand, Mitchell was seldom used as a returner at ECU, which is a little disappointing given his stature and athletic ability. A player of Mitchell's rushing profile needs special teams value, but he is a projection in that regard.

Mitchell's floor is scary. He is undersized, unreliable between the tackles, and doesn't offer special teams value right now. That being said, Mitchell's speed and receiving skills are enticing, and could be valuable as an RB3 while he potentially learns how to be a returner.

---

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 205

POSITION RANK: RB20

PRO COMPARISON: Javian Hawkins

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen