The story of Michael Hawkins and Davon Mitchell promised an exciting new chapter for the Oklahoma Sooners, reminiscent of legendary duos like Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham or Baker Mayfield and Mark Andrews. However, while Hawkins still has the opportunity to shape his legacy in Norman, Mitchell’s journey has unfortunately come to an end before it truly began.
At 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, Mitchell arrived with high hopes following a successful high school career and was initially regarded as a five-star recruit for the class of 2025. In a move to jumpstart his college career, he reclassified to the 2024 cycle, allowing him to join Hawkins at Oklahoma. Choosing the Sooners over heavyweights like Miami and Alabama, he quickly signed and enrolled, setting the stage for what many had anticipated would be a breakout season.
In a tight end room filled with potential but lacking experience, Mitchell was viewed as a compelling candidate to step into a starting role as a true freshman. Coming out of the recruiting cycle, Rivals evaluated him as the No. 10 tight end and the No. 215 player overall in the nation, underscoring the expectations surrounding him.
However, despite the anticipation, Mitchell did not make the Sooners’ Week 1 depth chart, and his presence on the field remained elusive as the season progressed. By late September, head coach Brent Venables faced inquiries about Mitchell’s lack of playing time and development. Venables noted that while Mitchell was working on transitioning to the college level, it wasn’t an easy process for him.
“Davon will be the first to tell you it took him a little while to transition,” said Venables. “Having great focus wasn’t something that he had in the spring when he first got here. It was just timeliness—showing up with the right clothes, being on time, turning in assignments. These are all things a lot of young kids deal with when they come to college. He’s a great young man, but he couldn’t get out of his own way at first.”
However, there was a silver lining. As fall camp progressed, Mitchell began to turn things around. Venables acknowledged the positive changes in Mitchell’s approach, noting, “Everything has been completely different. He’s been a scout team player of the week. And so he may have an opportunity to be a part of what’s going on.” The coach highlighted Mitchell’s newfound accountability and determination, expressing hope that he could grow into the player everyone envisioned.
Despite these inklings of potential, Mitchell found himself riding the bench, even during games that had already been decided. As the regular season concluded, he hadn’t seen a single snap on the field. With spring rolling around, his weight had increased to 275 pounds, and he was largely forgotten on a depth chart featuring converted linebacker Jaren Kanak, Pittsburg State transfer Will Huggins, and Kennesaw State transfer Carson Kent.
Now, with all four years of eligibility still intact, Mitchell has decided to move on, seeking a new opportunity elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Sooners’ fan base is left wondering how things might have turned out differently had Mitchell’s time in Norman taken a more favorable course.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma’s tight end position will now be managed by a mix of six scholarship athletes, including Huggins, Kanak, Kent, Kade McIntyre, Kaden Helms, and true freshman Trynae Washington. The team has talent to harness, but they’ll always be left to ponder what could have been with Mitchell in the mix.
