New and improved Mitchell talks season opener

Newly minted five-star linebacker Teradja Mitchell kicked off his season on Saturday with a huge showdown against American Heritage (Fla.). Mitchell and his Bishop Sullivan team came up just short, losing a late lead and falling 14-7. The Ohio State commit comes out of the game encouraged about his team's effort, however and ready to make the necessary adjustments.

"It was a hard fought game by both sides," said Mitchell. "Unfortunately we didn't finish in the end and came up short. But it was definitely an eye opener for us and helps us realize what we need to improve upon, using the loss as a learning experience."

Individually, playing against a speed team like American Heritage was a great measuring stick for Mitchell who has reshaped his body this summer.

"It was a great test for me," he added. "Playing against arguably the fastest team in the country, I got a chance to showcase my improvements in coverage and playing in space. I love any opportunity I can get to prove myself."

The expectations are still high at Bishop Sullivan. A perfect season may no longer be attainable, but all of the other goals, including a state championship, are still on the table.

"The ultimate goal this season is to finish the season with that game being the only lost we suffer," Mitchell said. "Individually, my goals are to finish the season with 125+ tackles and at least 4 interceptions. I want to prove to the country that I am the best linebacker in the 2018 class."

Mitchell's schedule this fall will make visits to Ohio State a rare occurrence, but he's looking to make his official visit to Columbus soon.

"I plan on setting my official visit when we face off against Army or UNLV," he explained. "Those two weekends are the only weekends I have available to see a game due to my team having a lot of Saturday games scheduled."

His commitment to the Buckeyes is stronger than ever, however and he has taken a leadership role in the class in terms of recruiting other players. He had a chance to lineup against American Heritage on Saturday which has two guys that he is recruiting heavily to join the fold.

"I'm working on Tyson Campbell and Pat Surtain right now," he explained. "Along with Palaie Gaoteote, a guy I'd love to play with."