SAVANNAH, Ga. – Former Savannah State University standout wide receiver Da'Shun Mitchell is taking his talents to the professional ranks after signing with the Athens Crush of the Indoor Football League (IFL) on Monday, October 5.
Mitchell becomes the second former Savannah State football player to sign with an IFL franchise in recent weeks, joining former Tiger defensive lineman Tony Rountree Jr., who signed with the Savannah Leprechauns in September.
A native of Inman, South Carolina, Mitchell put together an impressive career in the Orange and Reflex Blue, establishing himself as one of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (SIAC) most explosive offensive weapons.
The 6-foot-3 wide receiver capped his collegiate career with an outstanding senior campaign in 2024, earning First Team All-SIAC honors after leading the conference with 913 receiving yards on 49 receptions and nine touchdowns. Mitchell averaged a league-best 91.3 receiving yards per game and 18.6 yards per reception while helping Savannah State finish third in the SIAC in passing offense.
Mitchell's most memorable performance came in his final collegiate game on November 9, 2024, against Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina.
In that contest, Mitchell hauled in a career-high 12 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns, breaking Savannah State's single-game receiving yards record previously held by Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, who recorded 221 yards during the 1989 season.
His record-setting performance highlighted a senior season that featured four 100-yard receiving games. Mitchell recorded five catches for 104 yards against Tuskegee, six receptions for 111 yards against Fort Valley State, four catches for 101 yards against Edward Waters, and his historic 227-yard outing against Benedict.
He also recorded multiple receiving touchdowns against Tuskegee, Edward Waters, Lane, and Benedict, demonstrating his ability to consistently stretch opposing defenses and produce big plays.
During his final two seasons at Savannah State, Mitchell combined for 99 receptions, 1,663 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2023, he led the Tigers with 50 catches for 750 yards and four scores before following that performance with a First Team All-SIAC campaign in 2024, when he totaled 49 receptions for 913 yards and nine touchdowns. He also entered his final collegiate game having caught at least one pass in 29 consecutive contests.
Mitchell's combination of size, speed, and playmaking ability made him one of the conference's most difficult receivers to defend and helped solidify his place in Savannah State's football record book.
He now joins an Athens Crush franchise preparing for its inaugural season in 2027. The Crush will play their home games at Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia, and compete in the Indoor Football League, which features a fast-paced, eight-man style of professional football played on a 50-yard field.
Mitchell's signing marks another milestone for the Savannah State football program as former Tigers continue to earn opportunities to compete at the professional level.
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