Every year, people in draft circles will have a player or two that they will go to bat for more so than usual. For me this year, that is Adonai "A.D." Mitchell from the University of Texas by way of Georgia. Glancing at his career stats and accolades, only his 10 touchdowns from 2023 and his Second-Team All-Big XII honors jump out, but there's more than meets the eye with the 21-year-old.
Spending time in Austin and Athenes, Mitchell isn't exactly a stranger to big games, and while his yardage numbers don't jump out, his five touchdowns and two game-winners in five playoff games certainly do, especially on Georgia offenses that featured guys like Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington, Ladd McConkey, and a slew of talented backs.
So, now that we've established the clutch gene element, what else does A.D. bring to the table? Well, for starters, at 6'4" and 196 lbs, the big man has a surprising level of route running and footwork prowess and has excellent hands to boot. But there's more to that as far as being a receiver goes. Does Mitchell have enough to make himself stand out in a historically loaded receiver class?
Player Bio
Name: Adonai "A.D." Mitchell
Jersey: No. 5
Position: Wide Reciever
School: Texas by way of Georgia
Class: Junior
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 196 lbs
Games Watched: vs. Ohio State and TCU (2022, Georgia), vs. Kansas, Alabama, and Oklahoma (2023, Texas)
Major Injury History: Mitchell suffered a high ankle sprain in the 2022 season opener against Oregon, which cost him all but an additional five games that season.
Hands/Ball Security (13.5/15)
While Mitchell has good hands as a pass catcher, proven with just one drop in 2023, he did have an end-around fumble (which didn't result in a turnover) and a couple of near misses on tape that were close enough to mention. I'd like him to be more careful going to the ground, but he has the first half of the equation down pat.
Contested Catch (6.5/10)
Despite Mitchell's elite size profile, being that consistently dominant 50/50 ball guy or just in heavy traffic situations isn't his game. Now, given some of his other strong areas, I'm not as concerned when you add everything up, but this is certainly one of his biggest trouble spots, given he is 6'4, after all. What would help is not necessarily adding aggression, since you do see some cases of him being aggressive at the catch point in these situations, it simply needs to be more consistent.
Tracking/Body Control (8.75/10)
Mitchell's ability to track passes downfield could be a bit better, but as far as his body control as a receiver, he's entering the league in as about good a spot as you could hope. He showed off the ability to contort and make some very acrobatic catches, none more so than these two against Kansas.
Route Running (9/10)
You don't find guys of this prototype who can route run as well as Mitchell often. He has all the tools in the arsenal to run just about a full tree as a pro, and when you combine that with his release ability, which we'll get to shortly, makes him a dangerous weapon that any NFL team would love to get their hands on. Mitchell also has a very good understanding of how to use leverage to his advantage as a route runner, and how to get himself space working against zone coverage. My only drawback is you do see him fall into some lazy habits of occasionally rounding his routes for stretches, but it's nothing that can't be coached out of him.
Separation (8/10)
Although having a solid ability to separate, at least for a moderate amount of time, what jumps out with Mitchell is how he uses head movement and stutter steps to turn up the heat and give himself all the room in the world. The best example of this would be the game-winning score in the 2023 Peach Bowl against Ohio State. Watch the head movement before he jets back out to the back pylon, he gets enough separation to haul this without much trouble.
Release (9/10)
It's hard to miss with the 6'4 wideout, but Mitchell's release package is excellent. His overall shiftiness and footwork gain him leverage off the line against press, and on in and out breaking stuff, things are as good as over if his quarterback can get him the ball. Here's a good example against Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Run After the Catch (6/10)
Mitchell has the potential to produce after the catch, looking at his ability and size profile, but the numbers in practice, as well as a bulk of the tape, would tell you a different story through three years of college play. In any case, adding some bulk to his 196 lb frame would undoubtedly help him better fight off contact after the catch, and he could certainly do a better job of using his natural shiftiness to his advantage as well.
Vertical Speed (8/10)
While not elite by NFL standards, Mitchell's highest gear was certainly good enough at the college level working north/south. Against Alabama last year specifically, he caught corner Terrion Arnold lacking working deep twice, forcing a pair of DPIs, and in the fourth quarter, put up this dagger score on a stop and go up the boundary.
Burst/Acceleration (8.5/10)
Where Mitchell lacks in top-end speed, he largely makes up for with his ability to get through the gears well. He certainly fits the "quicker than fast" mold, and that's certainly far from a bad thing, especially given that he falls into the possession receiver mold.
Athleticism (4.25/5)
For several reasons already stated, I'd say Mitchell is fairly athletic for a kid who is 6'4. Not the fastest guy in the world, but his flexibility and occasional acrobatic tendencies stand out a ton.
Blocking (2.5/5)
While Mitchell showed the willingness to get his nose dirty, he needs to do a better job of squaring up defenders and sustaining blocks, on the outside or even near the hash marks on occasion, to become a true every-down receiver right away.
Versatility (3.5/5)
Best suited as a primary X receiver at the next level, Mitchell has experience in all three receiver roles at the college level, in addition to being used in motion on occasion.
Player Summary
In as high-profile a receiver class as we've seen in years, it's easy to like a guy such as Mitchell with his sure hands and craftiness as a route runner. Now, especially looking at a similarly sized receiver in Brian Thomas, the difference in what those two guys are capable of in the speed and YAC department may be the decider in who comes off the board first once we get to April, but, if Mitchell were to somehow fall out of round one, a team like the Carolina Panthers or New England Patriots have the chance to bring in an excellent talent, who has plenty of positive big game experience to boot. As of now, A.D. is our projected No. 5 wideout, with MHJ, Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers still unaccounted for, but I'd personally put him over Thomas Jr by the slightest of margins. He has all the translatable skills to be an immediate impact receiver, and with room to grow still at that.
Rookie Projection: Starting Boundary Reciever
Third-Year Projection: Fringe Pro Bowl Caliber Receiver
Final Grade: (87.25/100) Mid-1st Round Talent
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