New Hawg Awards: The surprise commitment

Anytime Arkansas coaches dip into Georgia and pluck a peach with offers from the likes of Florida State, Clemson, Nebraska and others big-name schools, Arkansas fans have reason to be excited.

Such is the case with Newnan (Ga.) powerhouse Ernest Mitchell, Jr. Mitchell has devastating power to combine with quick feet. He was clocked at 4.85 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the 2003 Atlanta NIKE Training Camp – an excellent time for a 6-foot-1, 290-pounder.

Mitchell is a rare breed. There simply are not many 290 pound high school seniors with high motors, agility and the power to bench press nearly 500 pounds. When UA coaches recruited defensive linemen last year, the goal was to bring in only players who showed potential to surpass the players already on campus. Several quality tackles were overlooked, but Arkansas defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was enamored with Mitchell.

“I chose Arkansas,” Mitchell said. “Because of the coaches and the atmosphere when I visited there.”

When Mitchell visited Fayetteville, he said he really liked the coaching staff. A weight room junkie, Mitchell was most impressed with the new weight room currently being constructed on the the Walker Pavillion and practice fields. It will be the nation’s largest when it is completed. Mitchell said Arkansas also had the “biggest television” he has ever seen. It is also the largest of its kind in the country.

Rivals.com rated Mitchell the No. 88 prospect in the talent-rich southeast. He was also rated the No. 18 player in Georgia and the No. 27 defensive tackle in the America. In the end, he chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Florida State and Clemson. Maryland, Auburn, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, Nebraska, North Carolina and others also extended offers to Mitchell but were not in the running in the end.

Surprise recruits happen every year, and for Arkansas they often come from Georgians. Green Bay Packer cornerback Ahmad Carroll selected Arkansas late after not strongly considering Arkansas. This year, Michael Grant was denied admission to Georgia and jumped on at Arkansas. And with Grant comes Mitchell, whose top five this time last year included Georgia, FSU, Georgia Tech, Auburn and Tennessee with no mention of Arkansas.

Mitchell registered 77 tackles as a junior. As a senior he racked up 146 tackles with 21 of the going for lost yardage. He finished with 10 sacks and 3 batted passes. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tabbed him the Defensive Player of the Year for the Atlanta area.

For his dramatic signing day celebration, Little Rock (Ark.) Central defensive tackle Fred Bledsoe takes runner-up honors for this award.

Check out Mitchell’s highlight clips HERE.

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