A New Preseason Hero is Born in Cincinnati

Mitchell Tinsley Makes A Name for Himself as a Preseason Hero

Taking the Long Way

Nothing was easy for Tinsley thus far in his career. Coming out of high school in the 2018 class, he was a completely unranked player. Naturally, he did not have much by way of offers, so he went the JUCO route with Hutchinson C.C. in Kansas. In his first year, he only recorded 10 catches for 100 yards. His second season was significantly better, amassing 556 yards and four touchdowns off 47 receptions. Tinsley earned offers from a small handful of Group of 5 schools like Akron, Ball State, Marshall, UMass, New Mexico State, and South Alabama, but he elected to join Western Kentucky in Conference USA.

In his first season with the Hilltoppers, Tinsley led the team with a modest 377 yards and four touchdowns off 43 receptions. He hauled in at least one catch in all 12 games. Then, he went nuclear in 2021. Remarkably, he did not lead the team in any receiving stat. Tinsley finished with 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns off 87 receptions. That Hilltopper passing offense was one of the most prolific in the history of college football as Bailey Zappe threw for 5,962 yards and 62 touchdowns, with Jerreth Sterns accounting for 1,902 yards and 17 touchdowns.

He parlayed that performance and jumped into the portal to land at Penn State. He transferred from one offense that threw the ball nearly 700 times to another that attempted 422 passes. In the run-first offense with the Nittany Lions, Tinsley led the way with 51 receptions and five touchdowns, and finished second with 577 yards.

Tinsley went undrafted and was picked up by the Commanders, where he spent the 2024 season on the practice squad. The Bengals took notice and poached him on a futures contract in February, and to this point, he’s made a compelling argument to make the 53-man roster in Cincinnati.

Showing Out on Monday Night

In the first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tinsley turned his only target into a 15-yard reception. Heading into the second preseason game, Tinsley was a bit of an afterthought when it came to projecting the Bengals’ 53-man roster. Then, he stole the show.

On Monday Night, Tinsley took over with the third wave of offensive weapons when Jake Browning came off the bench. In a 14-14 game, Tinsley hauled in one pass for 12 yards on his first drive, which ended in a punt. Then, he moved the chains on a 23-yard reception off a sack, followed by a four-yard catch. To cap off the drive, the young receiver positioned his body perfectly on a well-placed back-shoulder ball from Browning for his first professional touchdown.

The defense stepped up on the ensuing drive with a Barrett Carter interception. On the first play, Browning found Tinsley in the back of the endzone where he mossed a Washington defender. On the night, Tinsley finished with five catches on six targets for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

James Rapien of Locked on Bengals has had a running joke through this training camp that Tinsley looks like Marvin Jones out there. It’s no longer a joke. The former JUCO, Western Kentucky, and Penn State product earned an endorsement from Joe Burrow, so he’s earned a spot.