Next chapter of Malcolm Mitchell's football career is underway

MOBILE, Ala. -- Malcolm Mitchell was once on a three-year path to the NFL.

After two solid seasons as one of Georgia's primary receivers, Mitchell was poised to break out as a junior at Georgia. But in fluke-fashion, Mitchell tore his anterior cruciate ligament while celebrating a touchdown run from former Georgia running back Todd Gurley in the 2013 season-opener against Clemson. That season and a chunk of the following one were gone, and Mitchell was forced to divert from the original plan.

It ultimately took two years for Mitchell to return to form and showcase the speed and quickness he became known for early in his career. Injury-free and healthy, Mitchell played every game in 2015 and established himself as one of the team's leaders.

Mitchell, participating in Saturday's Senior Bowl, is now ready for the next phase in his football career. Given the setback he experienced midway through his time at Georgia, he knows NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel will want to learn a lot about him in the coming days.

"I'm trying to answer any questions people have about me," Mitchell said. "It's definitely something I need to do. I need to show I can play at a very high level."

Mitchell did that during his senior season, catching 58 passes for 865 yards and five touchdowns. While Georgia's overall passing game struggled throughout the year, Mitchell was the lone consistent weapon on the outside. As Georgia's most reliable receiving option, Mitchell routinely held his own in one-on-one battles and came down with his fair share of jump balls.

Mitchell regularly played bigger than the 5-11 3/8 frame he measured at the Senior Bowl weigh-in, and did plenty to impress Georgia fans who watched him each ­Saturday. He also caught the eye of Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, who said he was looking forward to seeing Mitchell in action during Wednesday's practice.

"I know his speed and that part of his game is there," Quinn said. "I'm anxious to see him compete. With these guys, it's good to see the one-one-ones. Can he beat man-to-man coverage? So much of the NFL is about those matchups.

"If you have the gifts to beat the man-to-man, then it's, 'OK, you got something here.'"

While ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper recently said Mitchell was a third-day draft prospect, an NFL assistant said Mitchell could very well rise to the second day with a strong showing in the Senior Bowl and at at the NFL combine.

The combine could be the place where Mitchell improves his draft stock, much like former Georgia receiver Chris Conley did a year ago. Conley was perceived as a late-round prospect before running a blistering 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds, while posting other measurables that exceeded expectations. It won't be out of the question for Mitchell to post a fast 40 time to boost his stock.

Mitchell said Conley gave him advice on how to interview with each NFL team, considering that was another area Conley excelled at during the 2015 draft process.

"It's about being honest," Mitchell said. "Half of the stuff, they already know or they're going to find out. Part of that is to form a relationship, and that starts with being honest with them."

It's still a long road for Mitchell and every other NFL hopeful participating in the Senior Bowl. More than three months remain until the draft takes place, and Mitchell will have plenty of opportunities to prove his worth to prospective teams.

It may have taken an additional two years to get to this point.

But the next step of Mitchell's journey has arrived this week.

"I'm just trying to do my personal best and getting the most out of every day," Mitchell said. "It's what's really important to me. I made some mistakes. I need to come out and fix them and make some plays."

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 9:13 PM with the headline "Next chapter of Malcolm Mitchell's football career is underway ."