Leading by example.

Redshirt senior defensive back Damar’ren Mitchell is one of the two captains on the defensive end for Colorado Mesa University (CMU), and he does everything with a purpose. He has been a leader for the Mavericks since transferring in from Louisiana Lafayette University in 2018.

“I started at Louisiana Lafayette for two years in a row, my freshman and sophomore year. I transferred because my coaches were fired and I was really close with my defensive backs coach. Once he got fired, he was a role model to me, that was my mentor, so once he got fired, I just told myself that I want to see something new. See different things, do different things, and different places so that was a huge part of it,” Mitchell said.

In his three years at CMU, he has compiled 154 total tackles from the safety position. He also has recorded 8 interceptions and he scored one touchdown on a pick-six.

Mitchell led the Mavericks in total tackles with 72 this year which isn’t typical for a defensive back. He finished the year with 40 solo tackles and 32 assisted tackles this season as he has done a great job open field tackling.

“I’m from Houston, Texas and football is really huge in Houston, so with my coaches in high school since my freshman year. I was a freshman on varsity so we would always watch videos of the Seahawks and Kam Chancellor and how they tackled, what kept them healthy, what kept the game safe,” Mitchell said.

That’s what I brought and then going from Louisiana Lafayette getting better with tackling, getting better with pursuit. Then when I got here, I emphasized tackling and running to the ball to attack the near hip, near shoulder, and near leg, that’s all it has been. Also keeping people safe too, I don’t want to do headshots, just go straight for the hips.”

Mitchell’s performance has stood out this year for the Maverick’s defense, but he is one of the vocal leaders for CMU.

“[Damar’ren] and Deeandra [Ervin] are the two most vocal back there. Damar’ren makes all the calls, and is the most vocal of getting us in the right calls. Making sure that if we have checks, he is getting us in them,” Defensive Coordinator Brandon Anderson said.

He has really taken ahold of the defense schematically. He understands football really well, and he has been really vocal from that aspect. From a play standpoint, I think that his play speaks for itself for the most part. He is very talented, plays really fast and his teammates love him.”

Mitchell is cousins with former Denver Broncos and current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Mitchell said he and Sanders spoke during the offseason about what he needed to work on in order to get to try to get into the NFL.

Sanders also told Mitchell that he had people in the NFL who knew about him and that the 40-yard dash was one thing that he had to work on.

The Texas native isn’t just a student-athlete, he is also a father to a one-year-old. Mitchell said that when he goes home, he has to be going all the time.

“I’m very playful and goofy no matter what. I know what he wants, he just wants to play and he’s waiting for daddy to get home. Just getting home, I have to be a father, I have to do those things,” Mitchell said.

“I have to play with him, make sure he is okay, make sure that he is happy and laughing because I don’t think he would like if I just came home and sat down because he gets mad if I don’t entertain him.”

Mitchell said he gets his personality from his mother because she never let him see her down.

“It’s really my natural personality. I come from a single-parent household where my mom raised me and she’s always had a smile on her face and never got down about anything. That really has helped me be who I am today and always laugh and just don’t look down on things,” Mitchell said.

“Also, having a son, I can’t go home mad and have him see things that are bothering me. I don’t want him seeing that, I just want him always seeing that I’m happy and I’m always in a great mood to see him.”

Senior linebacker Remington Green said that Mitchell’s leadership helps him be a good father.

“The maturity of having to play that role especially while being young, it says a lot about who he is. There are a lot of people in the world that we live in that can’t do that. I’m not going to lie, it’d be hard for me to do that, and he does it by the book. He does a really good job,” Green said.

It all goes onto the field too. He’s got a reason to play, that’s just another reason why he’s got a chip on his shoulder, why he chases the standard that is perfection. It all relates to the field; I feel like him being a dad is a catalyst to being a good football player and I can see it.”

Mitchell helped the Mavericks earn an 8-2 record this season in the first full season under Head Coach Tremaine Jackson. It was one of CMU’s best records since the 2017 season.