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Carlton Mitchell a WR sleeper to watch

While we're waiting for the NFL preseason schedule announcement at approximately 3 p.m., I wanted to catch you up on a wide receiver that intrigues me -- most wide receivers intrigue me because the Dolphins have a great need there.

USF's Carlton Mitchell had, by most accounts, a very good day on Tuesday during his Pro Day. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, he showed he can run like a much smaller man.

My source tells me four scouts clocked Mitchell with the wind at: 4.40, 4.42, 4.41 and 4.46. Obviously, different scouts get different times but it's safe to say Mitchell can run a 4.4 in the 40.

Against the wind, my source tells me Mitchell was in the high 4.4s and low 4.5s: 4.47, 4.5, 4.48, 4.51.

The low times, were an improvement from Mitchell's combine time.

But that isn't what was most impressive to me. According to aspiring scout Chris Cordero, the question mark on Mitchell was neither his productivity (although that could stand improvement with another season in college) nor his size and speed.

The problem has been his inconsistent hands: But here's the impressive thing. Mitchell apparently recognizes that weakness and is being proactive in trying to correct it.

"He has inconsistent hands [but] he's been catching 300 balls a day from the Jugs machine to work on them," Cordero tells me. "Apparently, at the Pro Day – he dropped some passes and looked inconsistent catching the ball at times. He runs good routes and is able to sink his hips and get in and out of his breaks quickly for a larger man.

"He didn’t do the vertical at either his pro day or combine that I know of – so he might not have the best ups, but he has long arms and big hands to go along with his 6-3 frame. He needs work as a blocker – but gives good effort in that department. Should be a threat in the red zone."

[Update: Cordero corrects that Mitchell did do a vertical. It was 33 inches.]

[Update 2: Mitchell's agent Christina Phillips tells me Mitchell's vertical was actually 36 inches.]

That is obviously the bright side and the blemishes. But as a value pick in the third round, Mitchell has the goods.

"I have him as my 5th best WR behind Dez Bryant, Demaryious Thomas, Arrelious Benn, and Golden Tate," Cordero said. "I give him a late second to early third round grade. He could develop into a No. 1 WR."

One hopefully the Dolphins are considering.

By the way, the Marvin Lewis, Tom Coughlin and Lovie Smith were among the people present for the USF Pro Day.


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if you can improve a player's hands, then the guy who's taken care of Ginn's hands should be fired.
The guy has dropped balls that had nothing to do with his route running.
He has just bad hands, and we don't need another guy with bad hands.
Why not just draft a guy with good hands :) ?

Tiger Woods is 1 under in the parking lot at Perkins


I like Dickson as well.

My TE wish list goes in order...

Jimmy Graham
Clay Harbor

I like Dickerson some too but in more of a red zone target/h-back,big WR type. I think his speed will have someone over draft him.

Our Offense seems to crave stronger pass catching TE play. When we had the great season recently TE Martin had a bunch of nice catches.

They always say a good TE is a QBs best friend. :P

Plus if they still work the Wilcat with Ronnie and Pat White they need to drag a TE across the formation to the same side as the rollout so the Wildcat Pat or Ronnie have a short, viable pass catching option.

Maybe I'm over simplifying this but...

How the hell can you.. N O T..put in the effort
learn to run Routes?????!!!!!!!

"Even Idiots learn how to dance for Weddings!"

Draft C.J.SPILLER at 1-12 .... then trade Ronnie Brown + Sweeney for 1-22 and pick up IUPATI,OG. WEBB+IUPATI on the left side of the line .... WOW

the rest of the draft

4. M.WILLIAMS,WR from Syracuse

6th round - MUCKLEROY,OLB texas, SHOENFIELD, OLB wisconsin MICAH JOHNSON, ILB, ky

7th round - KAFKA,QB nw + ? ?

Ginns hands weren't a big problem before this year. His route runniing leaves alot left to be desired.

You guys know there's a new blog up ?

Mitchell has more upside than benn. He's bigger , faster , better route runner . He played on a run football team with a freshman QB after their starting QB grothe got hurt at the beginning of the year.

NJ that's bull shyt. Ted Ginn? Don't even bring him up. Troy Williamson still hasn't learned how to catch.

Mitchell has more upside, bigger, faster, better route runner and better stats. But he is still rated as a middle rounder and Benn is rated as a 1st rounder. You tell me what I'm missing?

Earl Thomas just ran a 4.37.

Run Earl Run

yeap i think we need to use our te's more like the colts and saints spread the field im out

Ah well then OK NJ I was not aware of the QB situation at USF well then maybe your right on Mitchell being better than Benn. Either way I just want DEZ LOL.

What you're missing is that benn is rated as a 2nd rounder and mitchell can go late 2nd -3rd round area.

Flipper , believe us , we know you want DEZ !!! LOL !

The Dolphins will never get an elite wide receiver while Bill Parcells is calling the shots. He just doesn't think they are worth high draft choices or big money.

How many times are we gonna draft a WR and "hope" he develops into a #1? Enough already! Solve the issue and draft a stud who already IS a #1: Dez Bryant

NJ, you didn't answer my question. You are saying Mitchell is better in every way. Why isn't he rated higher?

Please no reciever with questionable hands remember the write on chris chambers will make the difficult catch but drop the easy ones no thanx need someone who will catch all the balls difficult & easy ones.

Shula was not the GM was he buffoon. Get your facts straight. As far as this guy Mitchell goes forget he is a joke terrible route runner and the guy reminds me of Ted Ginn terrible hands. And I get tired about that Benn clown from Illinois check out his stats 3 Touchdowns last season terrible. He is ranked 3rd as wr goes. That is funny. He is not NO 1 WR at all. Ted Ginn is a punt returner and kick returner leave him there. What about a RB Ronnie Brown is on his way out and Ricky Williams is going to retire next season. CJ Spiller or Dexter M from Ole Miss. By paying Karlos Dansby we should not draft a linebacker at NO 12. We would have to pay so much money to two linebackers. Dez Bryant, CJ Spiller, or Earl Thomas or goe DT. Not linebacker you moron big tuna

LOL NJ, I don't want DEZ in that way not that there is anything wrong with that LOL. He just makes all the plays from what I can see on film from when he played. He does kick returns, makes the tough catches, and goes into the middle of the field to make plays. I just wish the TUNA would get over the no WR in the 1st rd philosophy he has.

Giving Don Shula a hard time makes a man sound like a complete idiot. He brought two teams to the Championship game and won two of Five with the second...one with the only undefeated season with a SB win in history. He has won more games (347) over 200 more then any active coach (Mike Shanahan has 139) and 23 more then the only guy close... George Halas. Tom Landry is within 80 games. Shula won 347 in 33 seasons... do the math... that's winning 10+ games per season his entire career. There were only 14 games for many seasons. He is a legend. Hang it up on hating Don Shula... He is a class act who has perhaps one or two peers who can even stand on the same field as him. It is 20 years gone now... but for 15 to 20 years Miami was considered a Marquee Franchise in the NFL... then came Free Agency... Shula hated it... and Joe Robbie would not pay for it. By the time Wayne H. came along Shula's day's were numbered. Miami is still at the top 3% of the most winning football franchises in the NFL since the merger because of Don Shula. Oh how times and fans have changed.

just what we need another reciever who cant catch. wait till rd 2 and get tate. that dude has hands like bess.

Guys, STOP with the trade down for Weatherspoon. Maybe you can try to argue fro B. Graham, but Weatherspoon doesn't have a position on this team. He is like 6'1 240, way too small for a Miami OLB, Graham is like 270 and people think he is too small. Weatherspoon is more of a SS in this system, pick another guy to love because Weatherspoon could fall to out 2nd pick and we wouldnt draft him.

Just because we have Dansby doesn't solve our problems at OLB. Dansby most likely replaces Ayedele. We have no depth and hardly anyone you'd call a starter at OLB right now. I do like the FS's in Berry and Thomas, but it's hard to not address OLB in the 1st. NT will come in the 2nd or 3rd. We just don't have the luxury to go WR. Like you mention, after this year we have 1 RB signed. Ricky is up, Ronnie is up....I can see a bigger argument for RB than WR, but again, I think you can get one after the first. I can't see anything but FS or OLB in the 1st.

Shula was a great coach ... but terrible at the draft. He was with Dolphins from 1970 to 1996 (26 drafts) .... he only picked two Hall of Fame players in those 26 years.... MARINO and STEPHENSON. (LT and Zack were JJ draft picks)

The six other Miami HOF plaeyrs were there before Shula arrived: GRIESE, CSONKA, WARFIELD, LANGER, LITTLE, BONECANTI (Give tons of credit to the player personnel director of Miami 1967-70 .. (3 years).. he made some great draft choices and trades .... a lot better than Shula did in his 26 years

I say don't draft a WR above his draft value.. unless you think he's a dead-on stud that will contribute immediately. WRs are typically hit or miss and if they hit it usually takes 3 or 4 years for them to develop (like the Cowboy's Austin). As for Dez Bryant... off field issues and a poor attitude don't add up to a value that is equal to the 12th pick overall... especially if you have as many needs as Miami. NT, S, LB and WR are all needs.

Let's face it, Miami's got a bunch of receivers but not a No. 1 guy.. and there really isn't a WR like that coming out that worth No. 12 overall (although Dez Bryant would be if he had his head screwed on straight... which he definitely does not). So maybe Mando is on target with this Mitchell guy... but don't take him too early. At best, he is another project.... but so was Miles Austin. Miami's perspective should be to look for a guy you can get as a late-pick that has outside potential to develop into a No. 1 WR and keep doing that every year until you find one. I think Pat Turner was the guy last year (although 3rd round was kinda high for him in my opinion).

One way to learn how to catch is to have someone throw masonry bricks at you. That's what Jerry Rice's dad did with him and you saw what happened there.

If you can catch a brick you can definitely catch a ball. Plus nobody wants to catch a brick with their body, you HAVE to use your hands and you better catch it, or it's going to do some damage.

I think all receivers should include brick catching as part of their daily regimen of work to become a better player.

In the 1st RD, the Dolphins should trade down to 18-25,
then draft DE/OLB Brandon Graham (Michigan)
and if Graham is gone trade down again to 26-32
and draft DE/OLB Jerry Hughes (TCU).
With the 2nd RD pick, take WR Golden Tate (ND), or
OLB Eric Norwood (SC) or NT Brian Price (UCLA).
With the 3rd RD pick and the extra 3rd RD pick,
take S Taylor Mays (USC) and ILB Sean Lee (Penn St).
With the 4th RD pick, draft S Bo McNally (Stanford).
With the 5th RD pick, take T Sam Young (ND).

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