Davon Mitchell ready to ‘give them a show’ as Oklahoma Sooner
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (BVM) — There’s a plethora of football talent in California’s Class of 2024. One of those players is Davon Mitchell, who’s preparing to play his final high school season with the Los Alamitos Griffins.
Mitchell is the No. 5 tight end in the country, according to 247Sports, but his journey on the gridiron started at a young age and he quickly excelled thanks to his dad, Marko Mitchell, who had a short stint in the NFL.
“I just started playing football, and I was maybe 10 or 11, and my dad got me more into it,” Davon said. “He played in the NFL, so that’s really what [my motivation] was.”
Davon continued to make the most of his opportunities playing for Allen High School, where he helped the Eagles to a 7-4 record and accumulated a team-high 33 catches for 731 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. However, he now finds himself in California playing for one of the top programs in the state, according to MaxPreps.
“California has the better weather,” Davon said. “But at the same time, during the spring in California, we don’t practice with pads, and in Texas, we were fully padded during every event that we had. That’s really the difference for me.”
Meet new 5⭐️TE Davon Mitchell everyone. Kid. Is. Good. pic.twitter.com/QytRTpDAXz
— Juicy Smollayyy🏴☠️ (@legoJETTA) July 8, 2023
Mr.Trouble 🕺🏾🏝️ #SZN pic.twitter.com/R1NPh6jYok
— Mr.Trouble 🥷 (@davonmitchell82) July 1, 2023
Playing in Texas helped him draw interest from plenty of Power 5 schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, LSU, Ohio State and others, but on July 9, he announced he would continue his collegiate career at OU.
I wanna say thank you to everyone that came out and supported me yesterday for my commitment…❤️@LosAlFootball @markotmitchell @tfent2 @Coach_Bowe @OU_Football #BoomerSooner #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/p3rqVvYVpO
— Mr.Trouble 🥷 (@davonmitchell82) July 9, 2023
“They have a great coaching staff and great players to be around,” Davon said. “I can’t wait to see what coach [Jeff] Lebby and coach [Brent] Venables do this season.”
Although he was able to find his way to a prestigious collegiate football program, Davon still had to go through the recruiting process, which didn’t affect the four-star recruit too much.
“At the beginning, it was easy,” Davon said. “When it got closer to making my decision, there was a lot of pressure coming at me … but I know who I am and what I can do.”
Davon was only a sophomore at Allen, but before this season kicked off, he reclassified to the Class of 2024, making him eligible to join the Sooners next season. In Oklahoma, he will be able to pursue his dream of becoming an NFL player and continue to prosper as a tight end.
“I’m hoping to stay at tight end,” Davon said. “But I can really do a majority of other things too.”
Spring practices/Game…I been different 📸‼️@GregBiggins @tfent2 @Coach_Bowe @markotmitchell #LosAl pic.twitter.com/L9d1bjls0M
— Mr.Trouble 🥷 (@davonmitchell82) May 27, 2023
He knows there will be a lot of pressure being a top prospect for the Sooners, but when he reaches Norman, he will be looking to buckle down and continue his development.
“I want to have good technique when it comes to blocking in the pass game, Davon said. “[I’ll] learn everything that they teach their guys and take it on the field with me.”
Davon will also continue to hold himself to a high standard, but he wants OU and college football fans to know that he will be ready to give 110% on the gridiron.
“They should be able to expect everything that they see now,” Davon said. “I’m going to walk in and give them a show there.”
While Davon intends to make a great first impression, he also wants to be a figurehead for younger football players who may be looking to him for inspiration.
“You’re going to have to be able to face adversity,” Davon said. “But believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”
With a spot in Norman waiting for him, Davon will be ready to make his final prep season a memorable one, but no matter what level he’s competing at, he will continue to carry the love for football in his heart.
“Football means a lot to me,” Davon said. “It’s something I love to do and something that I have a passion for, and hopefully, I can do great in college and make it to the next level to be able to provide for my family.”
