Mitchell Agude 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Suffered traumatic brain injury as a 9-year-old; experienced a miracle recovery and went on to have a full recovery 
• JUCO product (Riverside CC) who played two seasons at UCLA before transferring to Miami

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Multiple front defense with man-heavy tendencies
• 2022 projected role: Starting EDGE defender

Pros: Mitchell Agude has the kind of build that suggests you can continue to stack up weight on his frame, and he showcases the kind of initial quickness to suggest that he can win off the edge with more refinement as a player. Agude should be considered a ball of clay as a pass rusher off the edge—he’s only played two years of FBS football and has ample potential. He’s long, lean and bursty. That’s a good combination of raw skills for a developmental player. And yet, amid the raw components of his game, he did manage to force four fumbles last season and showcase a good nose for the football. So long as you hold the right kind of expectations in his evaluation, there’s plenty to like. I am intrigued to see how he assimilates to the Miami Hurricanes defense, too—perhaps there’s a new opportunity to unlock skills in a new defense. Because much of his appeal as a prospect is projection-based and unknown, you can only project him so high. But based on the adversity he’s overcome in his life to get to this point, he’s definitely someone I’d want to bet on finding a role in the NFL.

Cons: The consistency of Mitchell Agude’s rush plan needs to improve. Too often he’ll push for the outside shoulder and not have counters set up based on the set that he gets from tackles. Both Utah and Oregon stymied him too often off the edge and challenged him when they ran the ball at him as well. I didn’t see a great deal of bend in his frame to reduce surface area and turn corners suddenly, which would create some challenges for him finding a role as a rush backer unless he’s able to build out his counters or otherwise add mass and play more of a tight-alignment role. His pad level can get him in trouble as he stacks blocks and looks to key and diagnose, costing him valuable leverage and forcing him to concede at the point of attack. I’m excited to see how he grows in 2022, but I do feel he enters the year with ample room for improvement.

Mitchell Agude NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs