Brian Mitchell says he was not looking for what many want to see from a rookie.
Mitchell on 106.7 The Fan’s “BMitch and Finlay” on Thursday, discussed going to the first day of the Washington Commanders OTAs on Wednesday. Mitchell was good enough to play and last in the NFL for 14 seasons. He lasted that long because he grew his value to a team. Mitchell ran the ball well and could return kicks and punts. He could catch the ball out of the backfield. He didn’t shy away from playing coverage teams either, racing down the field doing battle with blockers, looking to level a returner. Mitchell could block in pass protection and also on punt teams. Mitchell could even jump in and be an emergency quarterback, as he showed in a 1990 Monday Night loss at Philadelphia.
Thursday, Mitchell educated his listeners, informing them that when you see a rookie at OTAs, you are not looking for a finished product. But you do want to see a player who moves well and has some skills.
“That’s what you want in the first time seeing a player,” Mitchell said. “It’s not that you see a finished product. I think so many fans and a lot of people in the media (do this). They look for the finished product instead of, okay, I see why they drafted him.”
Mitchell then pointed to Jayden Daniels being drafted No. 2 overall, “and I think he gave you many reasons why,” meaning early in OTAs.
By analogy, my wife is an accomplished pianist. Recently, we attended a concert together, and one pianist stood out to us. Oh, how I loved when he played. He played with variety, with differing volume throughout the composition. He played with an authority; he played with soft control at times as well. However, my wife? Because of her experience, she heard MUCH more than I noticed. Therefore, she was much more vocal about what she noticed in the pianist.
Similarly, Brian Mitchell, being such a gifted and versatile player who could do so many different tasks, recognizes skill when he sees it and appreciates it much more than your average fan or even media members, who simply don’t possess the experiences or knowledge Mitchell does. Consequently, Mitchell got around to what he wanted to convey; he had liked what he saw on Wednesday in the Commanders‘ WR out of Clemson, the No. 71 overall pick, Antonio Williams.
“Antonio Williams yesterday? He gave you many reasons why. I could see why. You can see the quick twitch, you can see how the guy settles, or the route running. And if you continue with that, and keep building, then you see why. Then you start to see the person develop that we already look at now.”
Mitchell is calling out that he sees skills in Antonio Williams. Now, the work ethic will become a crucial factor to see if Williams is working hard to develop his craft. If he is and does, then Mitchell is saying other building blocks will begin appearing.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Brian Mitchell liked what he observed in OTAs
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