Few players garnered as much praise from teammates and coachers as freshman wide receiver Dillon Mitchell during Oregon’s spring practices the past four weeks.
In the Ducks’ annual spring game at Autzen Stadium Saturday, Mitchell lived up to his lofty reputation. He caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Dakota Prukop and led Mighty Oregon to a 21-20 win over the Webfoots.
Head coach Mark Helfrich beamed when asked about Mitchell’s potential.
“He’s really good,” he put simply, emphasizing ‘really.’
Mitchell, whom 247Sports rated the No. 1 receiving prospect in Tennessee, chose Oregon over a number of top programs, including Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Auburn, Notre Dame and Georgia. He did so fully aware that he’d have to compete for playing time with one of the deepest wide receiving corps in the country.
What separates him from the pack?
“I make plays that other guys usually can’t make,” Mitchell said after the game.
That’s exactly what he did on Saturday. In the second quarter, quarterback Dakota Prukop lobbed a 50-50 jump ball to a streaking Mitchell in the corner of the end zone. 5-foot-10 cornerback Ugo Amadi had inside position on Mitchell, but the 6-foot-1 receiver leapt over his back and made a spectacular juggling catch, turning a would-be pass deflection into a 32-yard touchdown for the game’s first.

This catch was straight 🍌🍌🍌#InsideP12FB pic.twitter.com/SFKZ7isR2m
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) April 30, 2016

He wasn’t done there. Mitchell made a diving catch on a similar route for a 31-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, putting Mighty Oregon up 21-14.
“He’s been good all spring, but today was the first day where a lot of people could see how good he can be,” offensive coordinator Matt Lubick said. “For him to be able to function in a situation like today, as far as knowing our offense, he had to do a ton of work on his own. He’s only been here for three months. We’re real proud of him.”
Quarterback Terry Wilson said Mitchell is naturally a “jump ball kind of guy.”
“I love throwing to Dillon,” Wilson said. “He likes to go up and get the ball — that’s why [quarterbacks] like to throw to his side.”
Prukop expressed similar sentiment.
“I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to get him the ball five more times,’” Prukop said. “Maybe we would get two more touchdowns.”
Mitchell is no stranger to attention from quarterbacks. He racked up 1,578 receiving, 705 rushing yards and 43 total touchdowns in his senior year alone at White Station High School in Memphis; he once hauled six touchdowns and more than 200 yards in a single game. None other than Marcus Mariota presented him with the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award for the best back in Class 6A last November.
Prior to his touchdown receptions Saturday, Mitchell dropped an easy pass from Prukop. He blamed “the jitters taking over.”
“I was kind of nervous playing in front of the crowd, but I kind of warmed up to the stadium.”
He extinguished those jitters quickly, finishing with seven receptions for 104 yards, both of which were team-highs.
Mitchell said his confidence is rising on a daily basis.
“I feel like I can bring that type of game every day.”
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby