Five alive for Mitchell
If things had gone according to his initial plan, four-star outside linebacker Javiere Mitchell of Leeds (Ala.) would have made his commitment today. But that announcement had to be scrapped.
"I didn't have my clearinghouse stuff finished," Mitchell said.
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Now, Mitchell intends to make a public announcement Nov. 28, the Monday following the annual Alabama-Auburn clash. According to AuburnSports.com. Mitchell likely will officially visit Auburn that weekend.
According to Mitchell, five schools stand out.
"Auburn, Alabama, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Georgia," he said. "I'm just looking for that one coach - my position coach - that I can really connect with."
Asked who is recruiting him the hardest, Mitchell replied, "I think Mississippi State. They've just said what everybody else says, but it's more frequent."
Mitchell said he "most likely" will take all five officials, but added that dates have not been set.
Although Mitchell is believed to be an Auburn lean by some, he denied any team leads. The soft-spoken standout gave brief comments about his leaders.
Auburn: "Great tradition. Great atmosphere."
Alabama: "Hard-nosed football. And an incredible offense."
Mississippi State: "Athletic players and a great place to be."
Tennessee: "Great hospitality, and hard-nosed football."
Georgia: "I like the defense overall. They fly to the football."
Mitchell said he has been to all five schools at least once. He has visited Auburn the most.
"I've been there like 13 or 14 times," Mitchell said."I've been to the Alabama-Arkansas and Auburn-Mississippi State games. The Auburn game (stood out). It was a great game to watch. It came down to the wire."
Mitchell also is focused on helping his current team. A year ago, he played at 190 pounds. Now, he's 6-feet-2, 208 pounds. He currently is his team's leading tackler.
The added weight "gave me more of a base to work with," Mitchell said. "I'm a better tackler. I haven't slowed down any."
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at kneebs01@aol.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.