Potential Bucs Fit: Texas WR Adonai Mitchell

In the final segment of the series, we discuss potential Bucs fits using: RAS and age guardrails We look at Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell. Mitchell has been touted as a late first-round option for playoff teams in need of a receiver.

That’s exactly what the Bucks chose. And while the Bucks are currently set at the top of the WR depth chart, things could change a lot next year.

Mitchell is a physical specimen that definitely checks off Bucs general manager Jason Richt’s relative athletic score box. Mitchell is near perfect with his RAS score of 9.99, which ranks him in the top five among over 3,000 receivers dating back to 1987.

At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he has the ideal size for a receiver. His 4.34 speed doesn’t necessarily show up on tape, but we’ll get to why later. His explosive tests showed a strong lower body that produced easy gear downs and secondary acceleration. Mitchell will be just under 22 years old when the 2024 season begins.

adonai mitchell on tape

Adonai Mitchell oozes talent in the movie. Here’s a clip where you can see all the skills he needs to be a primary receiver. He moves suddenly across several plains.

He has deep speed.

His root stem has the following nuances:

And he exhibits good body control and hands, making him a strong catch receiver who will be contested on the perimeter.

There is literally no skill he would want in a receiver that doesn’t flash. So what does that give? Why isn’t Mitchell mentioned in the same tier as Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors, and Roma Odunze? There are several reasons.

What could turn the Bucks off

Right away it needs to be said. In a college game where elite receivers shine, Mitchell has been surprisingly pedestrian.

Texas WR Adonai Mitchell – Photo courtesy of USA Today

His career numbers of just 93 catches for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns are almost better than Odunze (92-1,640-13) and Nabors (89-1,569-14) in 2023. Part of that is due to his ankle injury that sidelined Mitchell for much of the 2022 season. However, even in 2023, when he played in 14 games, he had just 55 catches, 845 yards, and 11 touchdowns. The volume of the score is impressive, but I’m concerned about the overall volume.

That averages out to four catches for 60 yards per game at the college level. Mitchell was playing on offense with other stars. Texas running back Jonathan Brooks is considered by some to be the top running back in this year’s draft, and fellow receiver Xavier Worthy is similarly attracting attention in the first round.

But Nabors played with Brian Thomas Jr., and Odunze was one-third of a talented receiver trio with Jalyn Polk and Jalen McMillan.

indifference on tape

Of all the NFL general managers looking for “dog” players, Jason Licht may be the best at that particular personality trait. And there’s plenty of film that makes you question whether Mitchell is fully engaged on every snap. Remember before when I said he flashes fast? Some players can test well in the 40-yard dash, but they can’t “play fast.” Mitchell has plenty of speed on tape, but he’s inconsistent. The reason is that he is choosing plays that actually turn on the jets and plays that run at less than half speed.

It shows in reps that he’s not the primary lead, or that he’s working on the backside of a 3×1, and doesn’t think the defense’s alignment will be a trigger for him to turn in the quarterback’s direction. Masu. And that also leads to his block. When investing a first-round pick in a player, teams want to know they are getting a player who is fully invested on the field. As for Mitchell, strictly from my perspective, that’s a big question mark. Yes, there was a receiver who had that attitude and was still an extraordinary talent as everyone remembers. Randy Moss comes to mind. But Mitchell’s lack of productivity doesn’t exactly scream “talent will trump everything else.”

Should the Bucks sign 26-year-old Adonai Mitchell?

Adonai Mitchell’s talent is worthy of a first-round pick. His traits and athleticism paint the picture of a player who could be one of the top receivers in all of football. The route you are running is already further along than others. There is a need for a mid- to long-term roster.

Texas WR Adonai Mitchell – Photo courtesy of USA Today

Mike Evans is moving into the later stages of his career. Chris Godwin only has a contract left until the end of this season, and Trey Palmer attracted attention but failed to break out. It’s unlikely a team will continue to pay two receivers more than $20 million a year, and Godwin will easily earn that salary with another 1,000-yard campaign this season.

Mitchell has the positional flexibility to play either X, Z or Y this year, allowing him to move in and out of the slot. After that, he could take over Godwin’s role permanently in 2025, as Godwin is likely to leave. He could strengthen the Bucs’ receiver room and the entire offense with his ceiling and floor.

However, that will actually be determined by the interview. I haven’t heard anything about the Bucs meeting with Mitchell, but I also haven’t heard about the Bucs meeting with Kariya Kanshi last year. New receivers coach Brian McClendon coached Mitchell at the University of Georgia before the wideout transferred to Texas, so they may already have all the information they need.

If the Bucks were to select Mitchell, you’d think they’d be happy with his interview. There’s something about him that makes you think it’s not out of the question that he could perform well in those areas. He left the national champion Georgia Bulldogs and moved to Texas last year to be closer to his daughter. That shows a maturity that Richt and the Bucs will appreciate.

Richt said he is very proud of his team’s ability to identify great people and competitors.

Bucks GM Jason Licht – Photo by Matt Matera/PR

He said this at a recent press conference. The staff here is very stable. I think we’re more stable than any other team in terms of the talent we have left here. This is great. We all know each other very well. I think we’ve done a great job of going after the right type of guy and avoiding the temptation of going after the talent and not necessarily the whole person. The same goes for me. I think we did a great job. My staff did a great job of identifying that with our personality grades. We put a lot of stock into it. If I see a player getting into trouble or getting suspended, I’ll look into it. Yes, they had a “do not touch” rating. It was amazing in that respect. ”

If Tampa Bay is happy with the person/competition Mitchell has, I would applaud this pick. That’s because the talent he shows compared to other players available in that range is likely to make a big difference. If Mitchell is still on the roster when the Bucks make the pick and they go in a different direction, it could be very indicative of how a potential interview will go.