Within the last phase of our sequence on potential Bucs matches utilizing RAS and age guardrails we have a look at Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell. Mitchell has been bandied about as a late first spherical possibility for receiver-needy playoff groups.
That’s proper the place the Bucs decide. And whereas the Bucs are set on the high of their WR depth chart proper now, subsequent 12 months might look very totally different.
Mitchell is a bodily specimen who undoubtedly checks the Relative Athletic Rating field for Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht. Mitchell registered a close to good 9.99 RAS rating makes him Prime 5 out of over 3,000 receivers relationship again to 1987.
Adonai Mitchell is a WR prospect within the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.99 #RAS out of a attainable 10.00. This ranked 5 out of 3107 WR from 1987 to 2024.
With agilities excellent (most WR skip bench), Mitchell is the very best RAS for WR in 2024 to date.https://t.co/t32le05j0m pic.twitter.com/daeAyl1NQX
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 13, 2024
At 6-foot-2 and 205 kilos he has ultimate measurement for a receiver. His 4.34 velocity doesn’t all the time present up on tape, however we are going to get into why a bit later. His explosive testing reveals a robust decrease half that creates simple gear-downs and secondary acceleration. Mitchell will likely be just below 22 when the 2024 season begins.
Adonai Mitchell On Tape
Adonai Mitchell oozes expertise on movie. There are clips the place you may see his all the requisite expertise for a main receiver. He’s sudden in his actions throughout a number of plains:
Adonai Mitchell 💀 pic.twitter.com/0xXMdjVSrD
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) April 12, 2024
He possesses deep velocity:
If the #Bears can’t get a top-3 WR at No. 9? I wouldn’t thoughts buying and selling down and drafting Adonai Mitchell.
The scale, velocity, route operating IQ and ball expertise are tremendous engaging. He’s gonna carry a excessive grade from me. pic.twitter.com/XZvWYXFqm1
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) March 7, 2024
He has nuance to his route stems:
Texas WR Adonai Mitchell 📈📈
Main deep risk. Glorious route runner. Nice mixture of measurement + velocity. He’s a 1st spherical expertise. pic.twitter.com/rTpPaWjVWT
— Kendell Hollowell (@KHollowell_) November 8, 2023
And he shows nice physique management and palms to be a robust perimeter contested catch receiver.
Texas junior large receiver Adonai Mitchell can change into a strong NFL WR2 and borderline WR1.
6-4, 196 lbs, robust on the catch level, nice ball expertise, above-average velocity. Prime-tier ball placement by Quinn Ewers too.pic.twitter.com/EZQyeHwJTo
— Luca Sartirana (@SartiranaLuca) September 12, 2023
There’s actually no talent you’d need from a receiver that he doesn’t flash. So what offers? Why is Mitchell not being talked about in the identical tier as Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors and Rome Odunze? There are just a few causes.
What Could Flip The Bucs Off
Proper out of the gate it must be stated. In a school recreation that enables premier receivers to shine, Mitchell has surprisingly pedestrian numbers.
Texas WR Adonai Mitchell – Picture by: USA Right this moment
With simply 93 profession catches for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns, his profession efficiency is sort of eclipsed by the 2023 seasons of each Odunze (92-1,640-13) and Nabors (89-1,569-14). A few of this is because of an ankle harm that robbed Mitchell of most of his 2022 season. However even in 2023 the place he performed in 14 video games, he nonetheless solely amassed 55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns. Whereas the amount of scores is spectacular, the general quantity is regarding.
That averages out to 4 catches for 60 yards per recreation on the school degree. Mitchell was taking part in in an offense with different stars. Texas operating again Jonathon Brooks is taken into account by some as the highest operating again on this 12 months’s draft and fellow receiver Xavier Worthy has first spherical buzz as nicely.
However Nabors performed with Brian Thomas Jr. and Odunze was one third of a gifted trio of receivers with Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan.
Disinterest On Tape
Of all the overall managers within the NFL who search for gamers who’re “canines,” Jason Licht often is the highest on that individual character trait. And there’s loads of movie that make me query as as to whether Mitchell is absolutely engaged on a snap-to-snap foundation. Keep in mind earlier after I stated he flashes his deep velocity? Some guys take a look at nicely within the 40-yard sprint however don’t “play quick”. Mitchell has loads velocity on tape, nevertheless it’s not constant. The reason being that he chooses which performs he needs to truly activate the jets and others the place he runs at half or much less velocity.
It reveals on reps the place he isn’t the first learn, or he’s working the bottom of a 3×1 and doesn’t assume the defensive alignment will set off the quarterback to look his approach. And it interprets to his blocking as nicely. When investing a first-round decide on a participant groups wish to know they’re getting a man who’s absolutely invested on the sector. With Mitchell, strictly from my vantage level, that’s an enormous query mark. Sure, there are receivers that all of us bear in mind who had that perspective however had been nonetheless singular skills. Randy Moss involves thoughts. However Mitchell’s lack of manufacturing doesn’t precisely scream “expertise will win over all the pieces else”.
Ought to The Bucs Take Adonai Mitchell At 26?
The expertise that Adonai Mitchell shows is worthy of a first-round choice. His traits and athleticism paint the image of a participant who could possibly be a high receiver in all of soccer. The route operating is already extra superior than most. The mid-to-long-term roster want is there.
Texas WR Adonai Mitchell – Picture by: USA Right this moment
Mike Evans is transferring into the latter stage of his profession; Chris Godwin is barely below contract by means of the top of this season and Trey Palmer has flashed however not damaged out. It’s unlikely the crew will proceed to pay two receivers $20+ million per 12 months and Godwin will simply get that payday with one other 1k yard marketing campaign this season.
Mitchell has positional flexibility to play the X, Z or Y this 12 months, transferring into and out of the slot. Then in 2025 he might completely take Godwin’s function as Godwin is prone to transfer on. He might strengthen the Bucs receiver room and the offense as a complete at its ceiling and its ground.
However it’ll actually come right down to the interviews. Now we have not heard of the Bucs assembly with Mitchell in any respect, however final 12 months we didn’t hear of the Bucs assembly with Calijah Kancey. New receivers coach Bryan McClendon coached Mitchell at Georgia earlier than the wideout moved on to Texas, so they could have already got all the intel they want.
If the Bucs find yourself deciding on Mitchell, I’ll assume they had been happy along with his interviews. There are issues that make me assume it isn’t out of the query that he might have proven nicely in these areas. He left the nationwide champion Georgia Bulldogs for Texas final 12 months to be nearer to his daughter. That reveals maturity that Licht and the Bucs might admire.
Licht has stated that he’s very happy with his crew’s skill to establish good character/rivals.
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Matt Matera/PR
Throughout his latest press convention he stated: “Yeah. We’ve had a variety of stability right here with my employees. I feel extra stability than some other crew, by way of individuals staying right here – which is a good factor. Everyone knows one another very nicely. I feel we’ve carried out an amazing job – I’ve carried out a greater job, myself, as nicely – of going after the correct of man and avoiding the temptation to go after the expertise and never essentially the entire particular person. I feel we’ve carried out an amazing job – my employees has carried out an amazing job of figuring out that with our character grade. We put a variety of inventory into that. Whenever you see gamers getting in bother, suspended, no matter, I’ll look it up and, yep, we had a ‘don’t contact’ grade on them. It’s been phenomenal in that regard.”
If Tampa Bay is pleased with Mitchell, the particular person/competitor, I might applaud the decide as a result of the expertise he shows in comparison with different gamers who will likely be out there at that vary is prone to signify a large hole. If Mitchell continues to be on the board when the Bucs decide, and so they go in one other course it could possibly be very telling for the way any potential interviews might have gone.
