Jets OT Max Mitchell received draft day call from area scout

A familiar voice told Max Mitchell that the Jets were drafting him on Saturday.

No, it wasn’t Joe Douglas who relayed the news to the Louisiana offensive lineman. Nor was it Robert Saleh or Woody Johnson. Instead, it was area scout Chris Nolan who notified the fourth-round pick.

“I don’t know if you remember me, but I was the area scout who at fall camp, I talked to you. I met you at the Senior Bowl,” Nolan said. “We’re taking you here with our pick.”

Chris Nolan, who scouted @MaxMitch09 in college, got to make the call that we were selecting Max pic.twitter.com/rO3Jr0Idzi

— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 30, 2022

Mitchell did indeed recognize the name, and he quickly became excited once he realized what was happening. Nolan, meanwhile, enjoyed his first-ever opportunity to deliver such news.

“I’ve never done this before either, so it’s pretty exciting,” Nolan said on the call.

From there, Douglas, Saleh and Johnson took turns welcoming Mitchell to the Jets. The expectation is that he will provide the team with quality offensive line insurance and versatility. Mitchell played tackle and guard in college, and Pro Football Focus rated him the highest-graded tackle in the nation in 2021.

Mitchell was a Sun Belt First Team All-Conference selection as a senior and allowed just 13 pressures over 859 snaps at right tackle.