CB Cameron Mitchell (5.13.23)
Okay so how was the first day out there?
First day was good. Getting back into football, we’ve been training for combine and pro day and the ‘underwear Olympics’ and stuff, so just getting back to football, it was fun.
How much have you been able to see Greg Newsome?
I mean, he was here when I first got here–messing with me and stuff. So I got to interact with him a little bit that day and then yesterday and then A-Walk (Anthony Walker), too. Just talking to A-Walk, those two guys, just making the transition a lot easier for me.
What were your first impressions out there of Jim Schwartz and this defensive scheme?
I like the way he calls his stuff. He’s all about running his stuff and making offense beat us. So I’m excited to keep learning and keep growing in the defense.
What’s his kind of personality out there?
I’ve only been around him for two days, but I could tell he’s really serious. He’s probably got a joke side to him behind closed doors. He seems like a real stern coach, about his business, get on you when he needs to.
His philosophy is very much let the big guys up front kind of eat. As a DB, how valuable and important is that? Yeah, when the defense is built off the front, every corner in the world will tell you when you only got to cover for two seconds instead of four, you would much rather cover for two. That helps a lot and I’m excited. We just got that big trade yesterday, so I’m excited for that.
What was your reaction when you saw that trade come through?
That’s exactly what I said. Just like that coverage is just going to go down. Not just for me, but for all of us. You know what I’m saying? It’s going to help everybody.
How did you learn about the trade?
I was just scrolling on Twitter and I saw it. I was like, okay, nice.
Do you know like, when you hear Za’Darius Smith, do you have an image of what kind of player he is?
Yeah, I’ve seen him. Three-time pro bowler, big ole dude. I can’t say I watched too much film on him, but you don’t just go to Pro Bowls so it means something.
Have the coaches talked to you since you’ve been here about how they were going to try you inside in the slot?
Yeah, I’ve been cross training both inside and outside. That’s how we teach it. You play both inside and outside. So whatever the roll calls, I’ll answer.
How much is playing inside become more valuable as the offenses have evolved over the last decade or so?
Yeah, when you can have a guy that can play inside that can cover, tackle, smart enough to understand all three levels of the defense, I feel like that just makes it a lot harder for offense to game plan. That’s one extra person they got to worry about in all four downs.
What do you think the biggest challenge for you to learn playing inside is going to be?
Just learning multiple spots. Inside, you got to know run fits, you got to know coverages, you got to know blitzes. It’s a lot different than corner. Corner, really, you have your job and you do your job. Inside is more complex, but it’s not something I’m not prepared for.
Have you been exposed much to Bubba Ventrone?
I got introduced to him as soon as I got in the building, so just getting acclimated with him. Coming in early, I expect special teams to be a part of my role and that’s something that I’m not running from, but looking forward to.
How do you assess yourself as a run defender?
I feel like I’m a willing tackler, physical, willing to come up and blitz. That’s always been something that we preach, especially in the Big Ten. You got to be able to tackle and cover at the same time.
Did you play special teams at Northwestern?
All four years I played special teams–gunner, blocking, punt, kickoff, kick return. You name it, I played it at Northwestern.
How much do you appreciate the coaches being hands on?
Yeah, I appreciate it a lot. They’re real hands on with us now that it’s just rookies and a couple of other guys, just to help when we get the vets back out here. Not everything is just brand new to us. Just get us up to speed a little bit.
Does it feel a little bit like freshman orientation?
Oh, yeah, absolutely. They called it when we first got here. They were like, ‘first day of school,’ Greg was calling me, telling me, ‘you ready for your first day of school?’ So, yeah, it feels a lot like a back at being a freshman.
How much has he laid it out to you as far as what to expect coming in?
Yeah, I’ve been talking to him ever since I got drafted. Since I got drafted, I’ve been talking to him every day just, like, about everything when it comes to being a rookie, just picking his brain a little bit. So any aspect of it, I probably asked him a question. We probably talked about it.
I think he said when we talked to you during the draft that you visited Greg last year yeah?
Yeah, we had some time off at the same time. He had time off. It had been a minute. He asked me to come out. I was like, alright, cool, I’m going to come out. And then we just kicked it for a little bit, too.
You couldn’t go to a game, right?
No.
Is Greg the biggest trach talker on this team?
Yeah, I’m going to just let him have that one. He probably is. He’s been priding himself on that since he was, like, 13.
Are you a talker?
Not as much as he is, but I will talk. Once I get comfortable out here, I’ll start talking.
What have the vets at rookie minicamp been able to do for you since you’ve been here?
Just showing a sense of urgency when it comes to meetings and just getting around the facility and stuff like that, just asking them questions and helping me navigate. Stuff like that. It’s been really helpful.
What advice has Quincy Wilson been able to provide?
Just how he operates. He treats everything like a pro, like he should. I don’t know, six or whatever year it is, but it’s obvious when you watch him in a locker room or when we’re in walkthroughs or anything. He’s a pro and he’s a seasoned vet, so just watching him and picking up on cues and stuff like that has been a big help.
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