Toledo sophomore cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was named to his second major All-America team on Monday, earning third-team distinctions from the Associated Press as a defensive back.
Last week, Mitchell earned Second-Team All-America honors from Walter Camp, the longest-running college football All-America team, having made selections since 1889.
The Associated Press (AP) is one of the five All-America teams that are designated by the NCAA for determining “consensus” All-Americans. The other four are the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Walter Camp, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Sporting News.
Mitchell is the first Rocket to receive multiple All-America nods from the five major teams since 2010. Eric Page earned All-America honors from Walter Camp and the Sporting News that season. The last AP All-American at Toledo was Brett Kern in 2007.
The Williston, Florida, native also earned Second-Team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus.
Mitchell is the nation’s leader in passes defended with 25 (five interceptions, 20 pass breakups). His 20 breakups is the all-time Toledo record, breaking the mark of 16 set last year by current San Francisco 49er Samuel Womack. Mitchell had three pass breakups in Toledo’s 17-7 win over Ohio in the MAC Championship Game on Dec. 3.
Earlier this season, Mitchell was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the FWAA for his record-breaking performance vs. Northern Illinois on Oct. 8.
Mitchell grabbed four interceptions against NIU, returning two for touchdowns in the 52-32 win in DeKalb. He collected three interceptions in the first half, the first of which he returned for a 25-yard pick six to put Toledo ahead 14-0 in the first quarter. He also returned his second interception for a touchdown, and his third pick came in the final seconds of the second quarter in NIU’s end zone. Mitchell’s final interception of the game came on Northern Illinois’ opening drive of the second half.
The four interceptions were the first four of Mitchell’s career, tied the school record set back in 1950 and was the first time a Rocket had two pick sixes in one game. The Toledo standard of four interceptions in a game was set by Jerry Palmer vs. Western Reserve in 1950. Mitchell is the only FBS player since 2000 with four INTs and two pick-sixes in a game. The NCAA record for interceptions is five, held by four players, most recently Dan Rebsch of Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan in 1972.
Mitchell earned Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week and MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game. He also was recognized on ESPN’s College Football Final wrap-up show that night with a “helmet sticker” and awarded SportsCenter’s Top Defensive Performance of the weekend.
