Baylor Adds Experienced DT Traevon Mitchell Following NCAA Eligibility Ruling

South Florida defensive lineman Traevon Mitchell has signed with Baylor following a ruling that granted a class-wide preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to declare eligible all athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and exhausted their four seasons of eligibility this spring.

Mitchell gained his fifth year of eligibility as a result of the ruling. He was available in the transfer portal and did not attend an NFL minicamp.

The 6-foot-0, 282-pounder posted 29 tackles, six for loss and two sacks during the 2025 season. 

Per Pro Football Focus, Mitchell finished third among defensive linemen in the AAC with an 80.2 defensive grade and an 82.3 run defense grade. Mitchell also finished with 33 quarterback pressures, which ranked 3rd among defensive linemen in the AAC.

He helped lead South Florida to a 9-4 record against a schedule that included Boise State, Florida, Miami, North Texas, Memphis and Navy. 

In 2024, he was named Gulf South Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year at West Florida. He posted 46 tackles, 17.5 for loss and 7.5 sacks in nine games.

Mitchell spent two seasons at Chowan University, where he piled up 84 tackles, 25 for loss and three sacks. He earned first-team all-GSC honors in 2023.