Don't sleep on Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell (because now the NFL sure won't) | Bohls
Xavier Worthy obviously improved his draft stock at the NFL combine, but so did Adonai Mitchell.
“Just the reminder of his speed definitely helps him,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein told me. “I think he’s moved into the 25-40 range now.”
Said John Breech at CBS Sports: “Mitchell ran .13 seconds slower than his Texas teammate, but also weighed 40 pounds more. His size and athletic profile are that of a top-flight pass catcher in the NFL, which will likely catapult him into the first round.”
I totally agree and think Mitchell, if taken by the right team, will have every bit the impact of a Marvin Harrison Jr. or a Rome Odunze. He had one drop — that’s right, one — in his 86 targets from Quinn Ewers last season and caught more passes thrown behind him or too far over his head than anyone I’ve seen since Jordan Shipley.
And NFL teams will know that Ewers’ last three passes in the end zone against Washington went to Mitchell, not Worthy.
More: Texas had 11 players invited to the NFL combine. How they all fared in Indy
“I prefer Mitchell to Worthy," Zierlein said. "Mitchell has a very good blend of size, speed and ball-winning capabilities. He still needs to become a better route-runner, but he’s a more complete talent than Worthy, who is more niche."
With Worthy, it's not a question of speed
Plus, as much of a blur as Worthy is, he weighed in at a possibly concerning 165 pounds, and some teams will worry if he’s too fragile. This isn’t to diss Texas' X-man because a receiver who scores 26 touchdowns in 39 career college games can flat out play.
And yes, he can fly.
But also, the track record of those who test fastest in the 40 at the combine rarely seem to pan out. Among them are former Washington receiver John Ross, who was the ninth pick of the 2017 draft and over his career that lasted just five years made only 62 catches for 951 yards and 11 touchdowns. Worthy’s also capable of being an electric punt and kickoff returner, too, though.
Golden: Texas offensive lineman Christian Jones has put in the work for his NFL dream
Don't sleep on Jonathon Brooks
Mel Kiper and Zierlein both rank UT running back Jonathon Brooks as their No. 1 running back prospect, and Zierlein expects him to be ready for the 2024 season: “He’s very smooth and athletic as a runner and he can catch it out of the backfield. He has good size and is the most talented three-down running back in the draft.”
Sweat or Murphy? Murphy or Sweat?
Finally, Zierlein said T’Vondre Sweat’s 366-pound weight is a concern for many teams: “With that said, he’s talented enough for a first-round grade, but he won’t play all three downs or have the same impact on the pass rush as Byron Murphy will. Based on his body type, explosiveness and three-down capability, Murphy might be the only DT in the first round.”
The year's NFL draft is in Detroit on April 25-27.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football's Adonai Mitchell should be a top NFL draft option
