Dominant Dozen: A Nice Surprise From Toledo Lands At No. 7

The Philadelphia Eagles' stacked roster made choosing the top 12 most doominant players a difficult task, but a pair of Eagles on SI reporters tackled it.

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) makes an interception against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Howie Roseman’s previous four first-round picks came from noted football factories such as Georgia and Alabama. The Eagles general manager drafted DeVonta Smith from the Crimson Tide and then turned to the Bulldogs to select Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, and Jalen Carter.

Then came last year. Roseman turned his attention to Ohio. Specifically, Toledo. That’s where he found Quinyon Mitchell and fell in love with the player on and off the field. So, the GM made him the first cornerback taken in last spring’s draft and just the second player ever to be a first-round pick from the University of Toledo.

The first was a defensive end, Dan Williams, who went to the Denver Broncos with the 11th overall pick in 2011, 31 years before Roseman grabbed Mitchell with the 22nd overall pick. That’s not to say Toledo hasn’t produced solid pros in its history – receiver Diontae Johnson was a second-round pick of the Steelers in 2019 and running back Kareem Hunt was a third-round pick of the Chiefs in 2017.

Mitchell is arguably the best of the bunch. At least he was last year, with a game so solid from defending the pass to tackling in run support that he grabbed the No. 7 spot on our list of the 12 most impactful Eagles from their 2024 Super Bowl championship team.

Eagles on SI reporters Ed Kracz and John McMullen compiled independent lists of their “dominant dozen.” The top spot was awarded 12 points, down to the 12th man earning one point.

Receiver DeVonta Smith kicked off the countdown at No. 12, collecting three points, and Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens came in at No. 11 with four points. No. 10 was second-team All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata, followed by linebacker Nakobe Dean with nine points at the No. 9, and All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown at No. 8, also with nine points, but winning the tiebreaker.

Mitchell finished sixth on the list put together by Kracz and was 10th on McMullen’s list for 10 points.

He helped the Eagles’ pass defense finish as the top-ranked unit in the NFL, allowing just 174.2 yards per game. He made 16 starts in the regular season, played 91 percent of the defensive snaps, and was a finalist for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. His two interceptions as a rookie came i the playoffs.

More NFL: Eagles Hosting Edge Rusher Whose Draft Stock Is "Exploding"