Adonai Mitchell Superstar

Texas wide receiver Adonai “AD” Mitchell excites me and most of them don’t.

Call it my inner knowing.

This guy is Cowboys’ wide receiver Ceedee Lamb all over again.

Pop the popcorn and get ready. The first-round board at First Round Mock is reserved for elite dynamic difference makers and Mitchell fits the profile.

Wow-wee.

No other receiver in this draft class has excited me more. He has all the raw tools ⎯he has the rare combination of size, speed and he can change direction on a dime.

Let’s go up to the podium to the Commissioner…

With the ____ pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the _____ select Adonai Mitchell, wide receiver, University of Texas.

Tell me more

What does this Georgia transfer look like on game film?

In a word…

EXPLOSIVE

Mitchell is quick off the line of scrimmage at the snap and effortlessly gains route leverage (position advantage against the cornerback he’s matched up against). From there, he darts into the intermediate to deep route levels. That’s where he does his best work.

This dude stretches the field.

The thing I like the most about Mitchell is how he sets up corners with fast moves to create separation or to get deep.

Mitchell has the skillset to take the top off a defense.

It’s also cool how hard he can drive a corner off and then quickly come back for the catch. Corners have to respect his deep game, which opens SOME NICE BIG THROWING WINDOWS back underneath.

Either that or end up on the wrong side of the highlights.

Oh yeah, there’s this too…

Concerns

Mitchell missed nine games in 2022 at Georgia before transferring to Texas with a high ankle sprain. That’s why his stat line that season reads low. However, as reported, he made it back for the stretch drive of that season and even caught a couple of touchdowns in the post-season.

Mitchell showed no signs of that injury during the 2023 season seeing action in all 14 games.

Outside of that, the biggest concern is Mitchell getting to the right spot in the route. Since his days at Georgia, he has tended to occasionally overrun routes or end up at the wrong place at the wrong time when the ball is closing in.

He’s a tad unpolished and will need an experienced receivers coach in the NFL to continue to develop him.

Additionally, Mitchell is above average (but not great) on contested catches. He’s aggressive getting into routes but needs to maintain that aggression level attacking the ball when it’s in the air.

Catch rate

This was Mitchell’s catch rate during his three college seasons:

2021: 29 receptions on 57 targets at Georgia (51%)

2022: 9 receptions on 14 targets at Georgia (64%)

2023: 55 receptions on 92 targets at Texas (60%)

Projection

Day one starter as a team’s No. 1 receiver.

Big dominant alpha that can be plugged in ⎯and throw away the key for the next few years.

This five-star recruit coming out of high school moves the meter.

#5 Adonai Mitchell 6-foot-4, 196 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2024 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 30.3% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of January 27, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2021 game film reviewed: ALL TARGETS

2022 game film reviewed: ALL TARGETS

2023 game film reviewed: Kansas State, Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rice, Baylor, Wyoming, and BYU (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2023 stats: 55 receptions for 845 yards (15.4 avg.), 11 TD, long of 62

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Lean muscular athletic frame with long arms and good speed who excels working all three route levels (short, intermediate, and deep). Dynamic. Athletic. Aggressive demeanor. Dangerous speed. Bendy change of direction. Gets going quickly. Fluid. Nimble. Sudden and explosive movements. Good concentration in traffic areas. Average catch radius. Decent YAC. Willing to scoop passes off the ground. Excels at slants and double-move routes. Burst of speed in and out of breakpoints. Can misjudge target areas and struggle to adjust. Draws pass-interference calls. Slight pattern of fumbling emerged. Willing to block.

Final words

I LOVE ADONAI MITCHELL!!!!

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.