Quinyon Mitchell joked around with reporters after Thursday's practice when asked about an ESPN article which listed him as the sixth-best corner in the league.
Does he think he should have been ranked higher?
"I don't know," Mitchell said while smiling. "It's cool."
The third-year corner out of Toledo isn't focused on outside noise – even after being named a first-team All-Pro. He has been in the Eagles' facility this offseason getting stronger – both physically and mentally – getting back to the basics and working on his technique.
Ahead of the second day of Training Camp, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio praised Mitchell's work ethic.
"I'm just trying to get better ... every day I just put my head down at work," Mitchell said of his coach's compliment. "Each and every day I got to come out here, I got to earn my stripes."
"Did that mindset change at all? Earning All-Pro honors this past season?" A reporter asked.
"No."
Even as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, Mitchell feels as though the attention isn't on him. Instead, Mitchell said that teammate Cooper DeJean gets all the attention.
"Coop getting all attention and not me," Mitchell said. "But we don't pay too much attention to that. We just keep getting better each and every day."
It's not surprising that the position group has attracted a lot of attention. They are a rarity.
Both Mitchell and DeJean earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2025 as second-year players. Throughout the entire history of the NFL, there are only seven instances of a team having its top two picks from a draft class earn first-team All-Pro honors within their first two seasons. Only three times has it happened on the same side of the ball. The two are the first Eagles cornerbacks to be voted first-team All-Pro since Lito Shepard in 2004.
DeJean has attracted attention for his "jack-of-all-trades" ability, playing nickel and safety in the secondary.
"Coop can play anything. Safety, corner, nickel, linebacker, D-lineman. He can do it all," Mitchell said.
Entering Year 3 in Fangio's defense, DeJean speaks of the evolution the scheme and players experience every year. Fangio likes to switch it up. For DeJean, that means playing more safety this season in base formation.
"That's what I love about Coach Vic. He's always trying to add things and see what we can do," DeJean said.
"I feel a lot more comfortable (playing safety) than I did in OTAs. Still trying to learn as much as I can about the position, be in the right spot on every play, but that'll come over time and I'm going to continue working at it during camp."
Even with the added responsibility, the former Iowa Hawkeye still studies the outside cornerback position – just in case. Not only that, DeJean has still been practicing punt returns, staying ready if his name is called.
Then, there is the addition of Riq Woolen who, like Mitchell and DeJean, was named to his respective All-Rookie Team and has earned Pro bowl honors.
"I feel like I'm like the new guy in class. I'm like a rookie again," Woolen said of joining the Eagles' cornerback corps. "At the end of the day, I've still got to be myself. I've still got to come here and work hard.
"It's pretty cool because now it's just learning how to fit in with these guys. I know my personality. I get along well with everybody. I crack jokes with everybody on the team, they laugh. Just being able to become closer to these guys, that's all I really care about because I got to be the best version of myself."
What does Woolen bring to the Eagles' secondary alongside DeJean and Woolen? Speed and height, according to DeJean. It's not a shocking observation from the third-year defensive back. Woolen ran a 4.26 40-yard dash at the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine and was only one of two corners in the entire NFL in 2025 to stand at least 6-foot-4.
"He pushes me just like everybody else. He's a big physical corner and he's been a great addition," Mitchell said of his new teammate. "I got all the confidence in the world in him and all the other guys in that room. And we just keep getting better."
Woolen shared the same sentiment after practice and is looking to continue to build trust, comfortability, and chemistry with Mitchell and DeJean.
"I feel amazing, man. I feel like I got better from Day 1. As long as I continue to get better every day, I'll be just fine," Woolen said. "In nickel package, (DeJean) plays next to me and then he was at safety. Being able to trust him and feeling where he's at builds chemistry.
"Being able to build off those two guys is pretty fun."
Before practice, Fangio said that it's important in Training Camp for players not to always play with the same player beside them. Players need to get familiar with the unfamiliar – something necessary for Woolen and Mitchell in the secondary with a player like DeJean who could be in a different position play-by-play.
With the changes to the defense this offseason, only Fangio and Head Coach Nick Sirianni may truly know what the Eagles' secondary will look like this season. One thing is for sure though – Mitchell, DeJean, and Woolen know each other's strengths and will continue to build more and more familiarity with each other as Training Camp progresses into the season. - Written by Caroline Connor
