Texas broad receiver Adonai Mitchell has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, he introduced Tuesday. Mitchell was one of the impactful switch portal additions of the 2023 cycle, no matter place, for the Longhorns after two seasons at Georgia. He instantly grabbed a beginning spot regardless of stepping right into a loaded room that included the likes of star Xavier Worthy and veteran Jordan Whittington. 

Mitchell had loads of optimistic issues to day about each the Texas and Georgia packages.

“I am grateful to Coach Sark and the entire College of Texas group for making me really feel like a Longhorn for all times in such a short while,” Mitchell’s assertion learn. “And to all of the Bulldog followers, my superb coaches, my brothers on the sphere, the legendary 2021 class. We made historical past collectively. I like all of y’all.

Even with that expertise round him, Mitchell established himself as Texas’ most dependable big-play menace. He led the Large 12 with 11 touchdowns, and his 15.4 yards per reception have been tops amongst Texas gamers with at the least 10 catches on the 12 months. 

Mitchell additionally had a status for stepping up in key conditions. His 1-yard landing catch in Texas’ School Soccer Playoff semifinal showdown towards Washington lower the Huskies’ result in 34-28 halfway by means of the fourth quarter. That rating snapped a 20-minute scoreless streak for the Longhorns and allowed them to hold round in a sport that got here all the way down to the wire. 

Mitchell had at the least one landing catch in all 5 playoff video games he appeared in all through his profession, relationship again to his freshman season at Georgia. Two of these catches — one with 54 seconds left in final season’s semifinal towards Ohio State, and the opposite within the fourth quarter of the 2021 nationwide championship towards Alabama — served as go-ahead touchdowns that gave the Bulldogs momentum they wanted to drag out wins. 

Mitchell’s draft inventory 

With the likes of Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers, the 2024 NFL Draft class is completely loaded at broad receiver. However Mitchell is not too far down the record, and there is a likelihood he hears his identify referred to as earlier than Day 1 wraps up. He is available in at No. 30 total, No. 6 amongst broad receivers, in CBS Sports activities’ 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings. CBS Sports activities draft analyst Ryan Wilson has Mitchell going to the Philadelphia Eagles with the thirty second decide in his newest mock draft. 

“Mitchell, a Georgia switch, is one other in an extended line of huge, bodily, quick, twitched-up WRs on this draft class,” Wilson wrote. “He performs principally outdoors, however did work within the the slot extra this season, and the considered a WR room of A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith and Mitchell is enjoyable to consider except you are one of many different three groups within the NFC East.”

Affect on Texas

Mitchell’s choice is not all that stunning given his present draft inventory, however it nonetheless means Texas stands to lose one among its greatest playmakers on the perimeter. Actually, the Longhorns are going to have lots of work to do on the broad receiver spot within the offseason. 

Along with Mitchell, Whittington and Worthy each introduced that they’re getting into the NFL Draft. Star tight finish Ja’Tavion Sanders is off to check the skilled waters as properly. For these conserving rating, which means Texas has to interchange simply over 75% of its receiving yards and touchdowns getting into the 2024 season. 

There are some intriguing in-house choices that may undoubtedly step into larger roles. Johntay Prepare dinner II, who was a top-40 total prospect and the No. 7 broad receiver within the Class of 2023, had eight catches for 136 yards as a real freshman and now stands as probably the most promising wideout on Texas’ present roster. 

The Longhorns additionally signed five-star receiver Ryan Wingo in 2024; he’ll have each alternative to make an instantaneous influence. One other portal gem has been former Houston wideout Matthew Golden. The No. 6 WR in 247Sports’ switch rankings had 988 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns in two seasons with the Cougars. 

Assuming Golden and Prepare dinner are locked in as starters, Texas nonetheless has one spot on its first-team offense to fill. The Longhorns additionally misplaced some depth to the switch portal, so there’s some questions past simply who takes the sphere first.