Incoming Transfer Profile: Juwan Mitchell

An in-depth look at the highly talented Texas transfer LB and his impact potential as a Vol

Before the start of the football season, VR2 will be doing a series of transfer profiles on the 10 most notable transfers coming to play football on Rocky Top this fall, and there is no better way to kick it off than with arguably the most prolific transfer the Vols added this offseason in Texas transfer LB Juwan Mitchell.

So, who is Juwan Mitchell? 

Juwan Mitchell hails from Newark, New Jersey. Mitchell played high school ball at Mater Dei High School in New Jersey where he was coached by former NFL defensive lineman Dino Mangiero. During his time there, Mitchell shined, especially as a senior. The 6'1", 230-pound linebacker racked up 87 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. All of those statistics led to Mitchell earning third-team All-Shore Conference and second-team All-Area honors. Mitchell also helped lead the Mater Dei defense to an undefeated 12-0 record, league title and the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 2 Championship all in his senior year, according to texassports.com. 

Mitchell did not become a Longhorn directly out of high school, as Butler Community College was his home as a freshman. As a Grizzly, Mitchell was an all-conference linebacker, led all other Butler freshman and garnered a No. 6 JUCO inside linebacker ranking from 247Sports. 

After transferring from Butler to Texas as a sophomore, Mitchell was able to get his feet wet with D1 opponents, playing in 11 games and recording 39 tackles in the process. 

It was not until 2020 that Mitchell showed what he is capable of. As a junior, the Newark native led the Longhorns in tackles with 62, logging at least five tackles in six of nine games. Mitchell was a leader for the Texas defense, and he will look to build off his impressive 2020 season in his first season as a Vol this fall. 

How will Mitchell fit in with Tennessee?

The short answer is: nicely.

It was not pretty watching leading tackler Henry To'o To'o, third leading tackler Quavaris Crouch and Deandre Johnson all leave in the offseason. This depleted the linebacker group, making Mitchell's addition HUGE for Tim Banks' defense. There is little debate that the former three-star in Mitchell will be Tennessee's leading tackler and one of the leaders on defense. Mitchell will more than likely serve as the weak side linebacker (WILL), while Tennessee veteran Jeremy Banks, Tyler Baron, Roman Harrison and fellow newcomers William Mohan, Aaron Willis and Byron Young will vie for playing time at the other linebacker positions. 

How will Mitchell impact the Tennessee defense?

Juwan Mitchell will be one of, if not the main, leader of the Tennessee defense in the 2021 season. Mitchell's size allows him to move around the field with ease, and he is not afraid to deliver hard-hitting tackles. His ability as a pass defender is what makes him even more valuable, and his experience at Texas should allow him to pick up the Tennessee defense quickly, leading to production early and often this fall.

The talent is there, and the opportunity is there, which is a recipe for Mitchell to have great success in his first year as a Vol. 

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