Marko Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Marko Terrell Mitchell is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a Free Agent
. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins
in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
for the Nevada Wolf Pack
.
Mitchell has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
and Minnesota Vikings
.
to mother Geneva Mitchell. He attended Sumter County High School in York, Alabama
, where he was a standout basketball player. He began playing football during his junior year. Alabama
recruiters showed interest in Mitchell, but he did not score high enough on the SAT.
in Fulton, Mississippi
, but did not play on the football team. Mitchell said the school promised him an athletic scholarship, but gave it to someone else. The following year, he transferred to Mesa Community College
in Mesa, Arizona
, where he played football. He recorded 34 reception
s for 719 yards and eight touchdown
s for an average of 21.1 yards per catch.
He transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno
, and played on the football team
starting in the 2006 season. That year, he saw action in all 13 games including seven starts. Against Northwestern
, he recorded a season-high of six catches. He compiled two receptions for 72 yards against . He also scored against Arizona State
, Idaho
, and . In the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl
against Miami
, Mitchell recorded the Wolf Pack's only touchdown with one reception for 27 yards.
In 2007, he recorded 53 receptions for 1,129 yards and eight touchdowns, and led the team in each category. His 21.3 yards per catch ranked the second-highest average in the nation after Brennan Marion
of . Mitchell's 86.8 receiving yards per game ranked the sixth-best in the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) and 23rd in the nation. He also ranked tenth in the WAC with 4.08 receptions per game. Against San Jose State
, he recorded 144 yards and a career-first two touchdowns. He also recorded at least 100 receiving yards against Fresno State
, Boise State
, .
Going into the 2008
season, he was named a Phil Steele's preseason first-team All-WAC, Athlon Sports preseason second-team All-WAC, and Lindy's preseason second-team All-WAC. Mitchell saw action in all 13 games and compiled 61 receptions for 1,141 yards and ten touchdowns. He recorded 100-yard games against Texas Tech
, Idaho
, Utah State
, Louisiana Tech
, and against Maryland
in the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl
. After the season, he was named to the All-WAC first team.
. At the 2009 NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, and his size and speed had impressed the Redskins staff. He was expected to compete with 12-year NFL veteran James Thrash
for the fifth wide receiver position on the Washington roster, but Thrash was released in June after failing a physical
. On June 13, the Washington Redskins signed Marko Mitchell to a 4-year, $1.793 million dollar contract.
On May 3, 2010, Mitchell was waived by the Redskins.
on May 5, 2010. He was waived on June 25.
on June 28, 2010. After playing in three pre-season exhibition games Mitchell was waived by the Vikings on August 31, 2010.
signed Mitchell on September 7, 2010. He was later released.
signed Mitchell to an undisclosed contract. He was waived during final cuts before the start of the 2011 CFL season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a Free Agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
.
Mitchell has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
Early years
Mitchell was born on March 11, 1985 in Port Huron, MichiganPort Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
to mother Geneva Mitchell. He attended Sumter County High School in York, Alabama
York, Alabama
York is a city in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,854.-Geography:York is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, where he was a standout basketball player. He began playing football during his junior year. Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
recruiters showed interest in Mitchell, but he did not score high enough on the SAT.
College career
He initially attended Itawamba Community CollegeItawamba Community College
Itawamba Community College, formerly known as Itawamba Junior College, is a community college in Mississippi, United States, with two campuses; the main campus is located in Fulton, and a branch campus in Tupelo that mainly handles technical education programs. It serves Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee,...
in Fulton, Mississippi
Fulton, Mississippi
Fulton is a city in Itawamba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,882 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Itawamba County.This city is part of the Tupelo Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, but did not play on the football team. Mitchell said the school promised him an athletic scholarship, but gave it to someone else. The following year, he transferred to Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona, is the largest of the 10 community colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District and is the largest in the United States. MCC began in 1963 as a branch of Phoenix College and later granted independent status in 1965.MCC offers more than 200...
in Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
, where he played football. He recorded 34 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 719 yards and eight touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s for an average of 21.1 yards per catch.
He transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, and played on the football team
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
starting in the 2006 season. That year, he saw action in all 13 games including seven starts. Against Northwestern
2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Randy Walker died unexpectedly on June 29, 2006 of an apparent heart attack at the age of 52...
, he recorded a season-high of six catches. He compiled two receptions for 72 yards against . He also scored against Arizona State
2006 Arizona State Sun Devils football team
The 2006 Arizona State Sun Devils football team represented Arizona State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's coach was Dirk Koetter who was fired after the season...
, Idaho
2006 Idaho Vandals football team
The 2006 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in NCAA Division I FBS college football during the 2006 season. Idaho competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference , and played their home games in the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facilty on campus in Moscow, Idaho...
, and . In the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl
2006 MPC Computers Bowl
The 2006 MPC Computers Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game held on December 31, 2006 at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. The game featured tie-ins between the Atlantic Coast Conference , which was represented by the Miami Hurricanes, and the Western Athletic Conference , represented by...
against Miami
2006 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2006 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Larry Coker.-Preseason:...
, Mitchell recorded the Wolf Pack's only touchdown with one reception for 27 yards.
In 2007, he recorded 53 receptions for 1,129 yards and eight touchdowns, and led the team in each category. His 21.3 yards per catch ranked the second-highest average in the nation after Brennan Marion
Brennan Marion
Brennan Randall Marion is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Tulsa....
of . Mitchell's 86.8 receiving yards per game ranked the sixth-best in the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) and 23rd in the nation. He also ranked tenth in the WAC with 4.08 receptions per game. Against San Jose State
2007 San José State Spartans football team
The 2007 San Jose State Football Team represented San Jose State University in the 2007 college football season. This season was the Spartans' third season with Dick Tomey as head coach-Pre-Season:...
, he recorded 144 yards and a career-first two touchdowns. He also recorded at least 100 receiving yards against Fresno State
2007 Fresno State Bulldogs football team
The 2007 Fresno State football team represent California State University, Fresno in the 2007 college football season. This season will be the Bulldogs' 27th in their current home of Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California, and their 11th with Pat Hill as head coach.-Pre-Season:At the end of the 2006...
, Boise State
2007 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2007 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2007 college football season. The Broncos, led by second year head coach Chris Petersen, play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the...
, .
Going into the 2008
2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference .The team was led by...
season, he was named a Phil Steele's preseason first-team All-WAC, Athlon Sports preseason second-team All-WAC, and Lindy's preseason second-team All-WAC. Mitchell saw action in all 13 games and compiled 61 receptions for 1,141 yards and ten touchdowns. He recorded 100-yard games against Texas Tech
2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the college football season of 2008/09. The team was coached by Mike Leach. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The football team competed in the Division I Football Bowl...
, Idaho
2008 Idaho Vandals football team
The 2008 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in NCAA Division I FBS college football during the 2008 season. Idaho competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference , and played their home games in the Kibbie Dome...
, Utah State
2008 Utah State Aggies football team
The 2008 Utah State Aggies football team represented Utah State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season...
, Louisiana Tech
2008 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represents Louisiana Tech University in the college football season of 2008. LA Tech competes in the Western Athletic Conference and plays their home games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, LA. The team is coached by Derek Dooley, who is in his second...
, and against Maryland
2008 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2008 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...
in the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl
2008 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2008 Humanitarian Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Nevada Wolf Pack on December 30, 2008. It was the two teams' first meeting. The game featured two conference tie-ins: the University of Maryland represented the Atlantic Coast Conference ...
. After the season, he was named to the All-WAC first team.
Washington Redskins
Mitchell was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft (243rd overall) by the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. At the 2009 NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, and his size and speed had impressed the Redskins staff. He was expected to compete with 12-year NFL veteran James Thrash
James Thrash
James Thrash is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Missouri Southern State....
for the fifth wide receiver position on the Washington roster, but Thrash was released in June after failing a physical
Physical examination
Physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which a doctor investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. It generally follows the taking of the medical history — an account of the symptoms as experienced by the patient...
. On June 13, the Washington Redskins signed Marko Mitchell to a 4-year, $1.793 million dollar contract.
On May 3, 2010, Mitchell was waived by the Redskins.
Detroit Lions
Mitchell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on May 5, 2010. He was waived on June 25.
Minnesota Vikings
Mitchell was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on June 28, 2010. After playing in three pre-season exhibition games Mitchell was waived by the Vikings on August 31, 2010.
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
signed Mitchell on September 7, 2010. He was later released.
Calgary Stampeeders
On June 3rd, 2011 the Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
signed Mitchell to an undisclosed contract. He was waived during final cuts before the start of the 2011 CFL season.