PHILADELPHIA -- Houston defensive end Leonard Mitchell, whom the Philadelphia coaching staff rated among the nation's top seven college players, was selected by the Eagles Tuesday in the first round of the NFL draft.
The 6-foot-7, 275-pound Mitchell, 22, was the 27th players chosen overall but Eagles Coach Dick Vermeil and his staff had him rated as the No. 1 defensive line prospect.
'We didn't go to test him because we didn't anticipate him being there that late,' Vermeil said. 'But we did do a lot of film evaluation on him. We had him rated the seventh-best player in the United States.
The Eagles hope Mitchell will be the man to fill the shoes of Claude Humphrey once the 36-year-old defensive end calls it a career. Humphrey, used primarily as a pass rush specialist,will be back for the 1981 season but his plans after that are uncertain.
'We're excited about Claude coming back for the 1981 season,' director of player personnel Carl Peterson said, 'but we don't know about 82, 83 and 84. That's when we'll need someone like Leonard Mitchell to step in.'
The Eagles picked up help at guard by selecting Dean Miraldi, a 6-4 , 260-pounder from Utah, in the second round. Miraldi will be groomed to fill in for 37-year-old Woody Peoples, who has not indicated whether he'll be back.
Mitchell registered 104 tackles in his senior year, including eight of his 22 career quarterback sacks, and made the All-America team. He finished his career with 232 tackles.
Pro scouts noted Mitchell had a reputation for not going all out all the time in practice, but Peterson said the player gave 100 percent in game action.
Any tendency for Mitchell to loaf once he's in the Eagles' camp certainly will be stopped by the stern Vermeil.
'He probably needs some pushing and has to be driven, but he's certainly coming to the right place,' the coach said. 'He's big, agile and has all the tools. He can be a good football player.'
Mitchell, reached via telephone in Houston, said he wants to do what he can to help the Eagles.
'I'm coming in to learn how to do the job,' he said. 'He (Vermeil) told me about their defense and how well they've played it. I'll do the best I can when I get there. I feel I'll be able to make some contribution.'
Vermeil said Miraldi was highly rated by his staff in terms of his athletic ability and aggressiveness.
'We feel very fortunate to get him on the second round,' he said. 'He's extra tough and aggressive. There's some of Petey (Perot, a starting guard) in him. He tested out the best of any offensive lineman we tested.'
Vermeil said Miraldi was not as smooth as Missouri's Howard Richards, whom the Eagles were believed to be learning toward before he was selected by Dallas on the first round. But he said Richards 'was not nearly as intense or aggressive' as Miraldi.
