Free Press sports writer Carlos Monarrez gives his grade for the Detroit Lions' fifth-round NFL draft pick on Saturday afternoon:
Virginia Tech TE James Mitchell
Grade: C
He’s coming off a Lisfranc foot injury in 2020 and then a torn ACL in September. He’s also undersized at 6-4 and 249 pounds. He’s considered a bit of a Swiss Army knife with versatility as a pass-catcher and a good blocker, which is a need for the Lions. He should be a special-teams contributor. But the injuries are too much of a concern for a player who’s already undersized and doesn’t have great speed.