INDIANAPOLIS — While the Pittsburgh Steelers might not address wide receiver early in the 2024 NFL Draft, they’re still doing some due diligence. The team had had a formal meeting with Texas WR Adonai Mitchell at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Mitchell is a prospect who could slide into the first round. After winning back-to-back national championships at Georgia, Mitchell transferred to Texas and had the best year of his college career in 2023, catching 55 balls for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in an offense that also featured WR Xavier Worthy. During a press conference at the Combine, Mitchell talked about his meeting with the Steelers and what he hopes to accomplish in the NFL.
“It was cool, man,” Mitchell said. “Just talking to Coach [Mike] Tomlin, it was cool. I’ve seen a lot of videos of him talking and stuff, he’s like the king of quotes. That’s what I call him, the king of quotes.”
Tomlin’s known for his vast array of “Tomlinisms,” and various Steelers have weighed in to offer what their favorite one is. It’s something that Mitchell seems to enjoy, and he seemed to like getting to know Tomlin and the Steelers brass during his meeting with the team.
Mitchell got a lot of experience against top competition in college, playing against guys like Philadelphia Eagles CB Kelee Ringo and top draft prospect Kamari Lassiter at Georgia, and at Texas he faced top competition on a weekly basis in the pass-heavy Big 12. Mitchell talked about how going up against top competition in practice, particularly at Georgia, helped him hone his skills and make him a better player.
“Just being at Georgia, every practice was like a game. I remember my freshman year, just going against a defense full of future draft picks,” he said. “It forces you to grow as a player, kind of expand your game, because the minute that you give one cornerback one release, the next time you do that, you do the same release, you’re probably gonna be somewhere in the bleachers.”
Mitchell has ideal size at an unofficial 6-4 and 196 pounds, and he projects as an X receiver at the next level. In his draft profile for Steelers Depot, Efram Geller wrote Mitchell could be a high-upside No. 2 receiver.
“If Mitchell is drafted by a proper coaching staff, he can develop into a three-level separator and a high-upside, No. 2 receiver.”
Pittsburgh has both George Pickens and Diontae Johnson under contract, but with Johnson a free agent after 2024, the Steelers could look to take a receiver to develop as their No. 3 and eventually replace Johnson if the team opts to move on from him. Still, it doesn’t seem likely that the Steelers will target Mitchell. He projects as a late Day 1 or early Day 2 pick, and the Steelers have other needs to address, like at center and offensive tackle. But Mitchell is an intriguing prospect and a guy who does a good job timing his routes and separating. He could be a nice weapon for the Steelers if they do choose to address the position early.
Wide receivers and quarterbacks work out at the Combine on Saturday, and Mitchell’s performance could bump his draft stock or hurt it if he struggles. But he’s likely going to be an early second-round pick regardless, which may be too high for Pittsburgh.
