Malcolm Mitchell is an interesting pick for the Patriots. When I look at him on film, I don’t think he does anything great but he is a sound receiver who does several different things well. Mitchell is a good route runner and he has shown some big play ability but has had some injury issues particularly with his knees. He’s healthy again but he needs a lot of technical work to play at a high level in the NFL. Here is my scouting report on Malcolm Mitchell.

1. Hands: Mitchell has good hands. He is a consistent hand catcher who lets the ball come to him. He doesn’t fight it. Mitchell can high point the ball and he has strong hands over the top, especially in the red zone. 

2. Patterns: Route running is the best part of Mitchell’s game. He is a fluid route runner who gets in and of cuts. Drops his hips at the top of the route and can work down hill to the ball. Effective on curl, comeback and fade stop routes. He’s smooth in his movement and he is a long strider.

3. Long & Short: I think Mitchell is a vertical threat but he’s inconsistent in this area. You don’t always see it. When you do see it, it’s usually in plus territory or the red zone which is a good thing.

4. Run After the Catch: Mitchell really flashed in this area, especially last season.  He scored five touchdowns and he made several big plays. He catches the ball in stride and he is elusive in the open field. Mitchell averaged 15 yards a catch last season. 

5. Blocker: Average in this area. Mitchell comes out of stance high, struggles to get hand placement and he doesn’t understand angles. He doesn’t lock out on defenders and he struggles to sustain blocks. Limited lateral movement.

6. Release: Another area he struggles in. Mitchell had a hard time against squat Cover 2 corners. He gets easily re-routed. Routinely gets side tracked and he struggles to get back on line. He needs to use his head, hands, hips and feet more to shake free from man coverage and get into his route.

7. Reaction to Ball: Mitchell is super competitive when the ball is in the air. He has strong hands and he’s not afraid to sit an area and compete for a ball in a crowd. 

8. Initial Quickness: Mitchell is sudden in space but not off the line. Again, he needs to be more athletic when he releases off the line. He’s all hands and no head, hips and feet.