He has put his mistake in March behind him, but can Tony Mitchell impact this Alabama secondary?
As a five-star defensive back from Thompson High School, the in-state talent is not immune to competition or championships.
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Mitchell helped the Warriors under Mark Freeman to multiple Class 7A State Championships. He played cornerback and safety in high school, but Nick Saban sees Mitchell as a safety for the Tide. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder was very remorseful about his arrest and spoke at a Southern Xpress Event about how he wants to improve. Mitchell has been training since the incident and Alabama reinstated him for team activities. He has the talent and physicality, but will the five-star impress everyone with his ability to process the playbook in fall camp? The Tide brought in Jaylen Key, a transfer from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a defensive back with experience, but could Mitchell pass him up? The panel for “The Final Whistle” via The Bama Standard discussed the significance of Alabama having Mitchell back. They said the future is bright with Mitchell in the secondary.
Matt Caddell, a former Tide wide receiver, says Mitchell ‘will be all bought in’ after not having to face jail time.
“He is going to be focused now,” Caddell said about Mitchell. “You get a second chance. We have all made mistakes and everything, but to have an opportunity to not lose your opportunity, I think he’s going to be more focused, bought in, listening to what Coach Saban says, and he knows he was not there for spring. He enrolled early, but he was not there for spring. He knows he has to up the ante. He has to make up for lost time, so he is going to be bought in. He will have to go through Coach Saban’s punishment, but that is going to make him greater. Coach Saban is going to channel him and build that bond with him.”
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Caddell also sees fellow five-star, Caleb Downs, as competition that Mitchell wants to push.
“Those guys are going to push each other to possibly be the starters by the Texas game,” Caddell said of Mitchell and Downs.
“I would not be surprised to see Downs and Mitchell. If Tony Mitchell is balling out like that with Caleb Downs, this is going to be Coach Saban’s suspension for him … a slap on the wrist.”
Could Alabama have two freshmen starters in the secondary? Downs, a native Georgian, is projected by some to start at safety, but will Mitchell bring enough in preseason camp to join him? We will see what his impact becomes, but he has the ability.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
