Rookie Profile: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Welcome to the Rookie Profile for Adonai Mitchell, a Wide Receiver out of the University of Texas. A three-star recruit out of Cane Ridge High School in Antioch, Tennessee, Mitchell was named the 2019 Tennessean Region 5-6A Athlete of the Year.
Mitchell attended the University of Georgia in 2021 and won back-to-back championships with the Bulldogs. He even caught the go-ahead touchdown to help seal the victory in 2022.
But after a limited role amongst a talented pool of Georgia pass catchers, Mitchell left UGA for Texas in 2023. He was the third overall player and best wide receiver available in the transfer portal, according to 247 Sports. There, he doubled his previous season highs in receptions and yardage while also posting 11 TDs. It was a true breakout for the junior, whose performance compelled him to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 2 Pick 20
- The Colts were in dire need of a boundary wide receiver to stretch the defense. Mitchell provides that threat as an immediate upgrade over second-year wideout Alec Pierce, while also bringing a more complete skill set to balance out alpha WR Michael Pittman on the other side of the formation.
- As a Round 2 investment, Mitchell is guaranteed ever chance to succeed while also growing alongside QB Anthony Richardson and one of the younger wide receiver rooms in the league.
Landing Spot- Indianapolis Colts
- Head Coach Shane Steichen has a successful track record in both scheming up offenses and developing young quarterbacks. Of course, he has had fewer weapons to work with in Indy than he did in both Philly and Los Angeles. Adding Mitchell rounds out the wide receiver room and balances his 11 personnel-based offensive scheme, providing more opportunity for all in Indianapolis.
- Mitchell has the opportunity to immediately become the #2 target on a Colts team devoid of a highly-targeted tight end or running back. Although Josh Downs may be the early favorite for targets over Mitchell, Mitchell can win on talent and force Richardson to look for him more often in both the intermediate and deep areas of the field.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Developmental Edge Rusher
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
The Colts offense is improving. With a healthy Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor, there should be plenty of room for Mitchell to use his 4.35 speed to stretch the defense and also find space in the middle of the defense. If he can improve his route running and technique, Mitchell will develop into one of the better team WR2s in the league and a weekly flex option for your squad.
Given that Mitchell post a 9.97 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which graded out as the 11th best RAS of all-time for a wide receiver, he’s got the talent to win at the position. In the early-to-mid second round of dynasty rookie drafts, I’m happy to bet on Mitchell to beat out Downs for work and for Richardson to improve as a passer. Although it could take a little time to gel, Mitchell is a good short-term bet and an excellent long-term one.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
