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Scouting Report on Virginia Tech RB Signee Tralon Mitchell

Corps Fans 1 VT Miami 2022 HT

With Virginia Tech's 2023 high school recruiting class likely all signed barring a last minute surprise addition during this second window, our series of scouting reports on the Hokies' 2023 high school signees continues with three-star RB/ATH Tralon Mtichell. You can check out a look at the rest of our scouting reports in the links below.

Tralon Mitchell was one of the more under-the-radar signings in this class as his offer list wasn't full of Power 5s like many other signees. However, Mitchell definitely has the production of someone who could have easily had more Power 5 offers after he had 1,417 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on only 152 carries averaging 9.3 yards per carry for Southern Nash HS in Bailey, NC. This came after he broke the 1,000 rushing yard mark and averaged over 10 yards per carry as a junior on 102 carries adding 17 touchdowns in the process.

He's also a two-sport athlete with plenty of basketball tape and though some may want players who focus primarily on football, I personally love to see athletes who play multiple sports and develop their athleticism further.

There's no doubt that the high school production is what you would hope for a running back signing at a Power 5 program but what does the tape say about Mitchell?

Unfortunately, it's hard to find that much football film from his high school. However, there are some limited clips that we can use to see some traits to pair with the stats that Mitchell has including highlights that our colleagues at Tech Sideline aggregated. You can also see a 2021 clip of Mitchell in the middle and a third Mitchell clip from 2022 after.

There's no doubt that you can see Mitchell show some great speed at times while he does show some potential as a kick returner which is a big plus given how much we see the Hokies use their kick returners.

To go with the solid burst he has, Mitchell has that extra gear and can maintain a high level of speed over a long duration which is another encouraging sign when looking for a running back who can produce big plays.

His vision seems pretty good especially from what you can see on his ability to find space on kick returns. That shows some good upside given some of the similarities with how your blocking is largely set in front of you similar to a running play unlike what you get on a punt return.

To go with the speed, Mitchell shows on different clips a good motor of driving through players between the trenches and fighting for extra yards. Add that mentality to the fact that he has a good frame at 6'1'' and 190 pounds and it's clear to see the upside that he has as a complete runner who can make plays between the tackles and on the edge.

Part of the question for Mitchell is the level of competition that he is facing in the lesser populated eastern part of North Carolina. Now his high school isn't too far from Raleigh and the Research Triangle as a whole, but some of the athleticism does make you wonder.

He does have good speed, but his speed difference may not be the same once making the jump while his performance in the NC-SC Shrine Bowl wasn't spectacular either. However, the fact that he has good speed with a 6'1'', 190-pound frame that can add some weight while he already is showing some physicality between the trenches is a good sign as well regardless of any speed concerns.

It's easy to see in some ways while Mitchell was overlooked for most of this recruiting cycle by many especially given that there's very little senior year football tape on him. For Tech those, there's definitely plenty of potential for him to develop into a quality RB & kick returner, and a hidden gem in this class for the Hokies given how lightly recruited he was.

Tralon Mitchell has a great high school statsheet that he carries with him to college along with plenty of good tools given his great size and plus speed to pair with it. There's plenty of growth for him to do, but the tools and potential are definitely there for him to develop into a very good player.

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