Former Texas standout Adonai Mitchell is currently projected to be a late first-round pick and the fifth wide receiver taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With a very tantalizing blend of size and athleticism at the position, combined with a very productive junior season at Texas, Mitchell could find himself going much earlier than expected in the first round according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Could Adonai Mitchell Go Earlier Than Expected?
When appearing on the Establish the Run podcast, Mitchell was the first name that came to mind when Schefter was asked if any prospects would go higher than the current betting markets suggest.
Had to put @AdamSchefter on the spot.
Asked for one player in this draft he thinks will go higher or lower than expected. pic.twitter.com/08MKIdE7cJ
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) April 15, 2024
“I think he’ll go higher than that,” Schefter said. “I think he’ll be a one [first-round pick]. Signs point to him beating that projection.”
Mitchell’s current draft position at DraftKings Sportsbook is 27.5, and based on Schefter predicting the former Texas wide receiver will go higher than expected, you can infer that he would recommend betting the under.
If Mitchell does indeed go higher in the first round than expected, one reason would be his tremendous athleticism for his 6’2 1/4″ and 205-pound frame.
“Mitchell’s testing is some of the best we’ve ever seen at the WR position, and that’s not hyperbole,” Pro Football Network’s NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings said.
Out of all wide receivers at the NFL Combine, Mitchell recorded the highest Relative Athletic Score (RAS) grade, which collects a multitude of players’ testing metrics and physical attributes to generate a score to measure their athleticism relative to the competition entering the NFL.
Mitchell’s NFL Draft Projection
Cummings has Mitchell as the fifth-best wide receiver and 26th-ranked player on his 2024 NFL Draft Big Board.
“For a team needing an X-receiver with rare 1-on-1 separation skills, Mitchell is worth mid-to-late Round 1 consideration,” Cummings says; but he notes, however, “he won’t be for every team.”
“It’s ultimately up to what each team needs and how they intend to use their WR targets to decipher whether or not Mitchell is a fit. There’s also the question of inconsistent effort and how teams feel about his ability to maximize his output on a down-to-down basis.
“With a long 6’2 1/4″ frame, Mitchell is exceptional across the board, from explosiveness and speed to route running, instincts, and physicality. If he can continue to cut down on occasional inefficiencies and lulls in late-snap effort, the sky is the limit.”
With today’s NFL built around the passing game, teams are prioritizing wide receivers more than ever.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze are the first wide receivers expected to be off the board, and they could each very likely be selected in the top 10 of the first round. If wide receivers fly off the board early, that could push Mitchell to go earlier than expected to a team with a need at the position.
KEEP READING: Top WRs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Miss football? The 2024 NFL Draft is almost here, boss. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s all-new Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls — lone wolf or with your friends!