RELATED LINKS:
-- Seven Things We've Learned About This Offseason
-- Seven Things We've Learned About R. Jean Francois This Offseason
For more from the team, including exclusive videos, photos and written content, be sure to “like” the Redskins’ Official Facebook page.
As players take their final breaks before training camp, The Redskins Blog will take a look back at the new faces from this offseason and what we've learned about them, football and otherwise, so far.
Today, we'll focus on rookie cornerback Tevin Mitchel.
1. He didn't realize until the second day of the NFL Draft that he might have a shot to play with his former teammate:Mitchel and Martrell Spaight were integral parts of the Arkansas Razorbacks defense in 2014. They're hoping they can have similar roles with the Redskins.
"It was weird, we were talking [Friday] and we [were] like, 'What if we ended up on the same team?'" Mitchel said. "It's crazy that it just happened. So I just finished talking to him earlier and that's a great teammate. I'm real happy to play with Martrell Spaight again. Real happy."
**
Check out images of rookie cornerback Tevin Mitchel during his first few months as a Washington Redskin.
- He thinks of cornerback DeAngleo Hall as a big brother: **One of the benefits of being a rookie on a team with lots of veterans is the mentorship that takes place. Hall has been around the league since 2004 and knows his way around Redskins Park. He's likely offered his expertise – in his struggles, his joys and his skills – with many of the younger players vying for a roster spot, especially a young corner like Mitchel.
3. Mitchel already thinks the Redskins are going to do great things:All rookies are optimistic about contributing on their new teams, but Mitchel seems to believe his new teammates are bonding well and has great expectations in first year.
"I'm learning the defense well, taking it day by day, and interacting with the other DB's. We're coming together as a team, and we're getting better overall. I don't like to talk about I, but I feel like I've only been knowing these guys for two or three weeks but I feel like we're going to do great things on and off the field."
4. His head coach at Arkansas, Bret Bielema, said Mitchel completely changed his game during his senior year:Coaches often speak positively about their players who have graduated to the NFL level. Bielema seemed authentic in his praise of his former cornerback's work ethic.
"I don't know in my coaching career now, head coach for 10 years, I don't know if I've seen a player change the value of name more in one year than Tevin Mitchel," Bielema said in an interview with ESPN 980. "A guy that maybe a year ago was a guy that people targeted and his last year they didn't want to have anything to do with him."
5. Head Coach Jay Gruden has been really impressed with Mitchel's versatility during offseason workouts: "You know, Tevin Mitchel, I think at the nickel and playing corner, has really done some good things. He got an interception [on the second day of minicamp] you saw in the red zone, which was excellent. So he's doing some good things. He's learning a new system and he's playing two or three different positions, so he's been very impressive."
6. He just got an Instagram account:So, this isn't anything revelatory but at least you know you can follow him. Maybe the Redskins inspired him to post more photos?
7. Mitchel is just blessed to have the opportunity to be in the NFL: "At the end of the day, I always just tell myself I'm blessed because a lot of people don't get this opportunity to continue to play football. Even in college, a lot of people don't get the opportunity to go to college and play football. I just feel blessed to be at the position I am, and it's a great feeling. I can't wait to play games."
.
.
.
- *
