New Pittsburgh Steelers WRs Coach Zach Azzanni was in Texas today, as was a good chunk of the NFL. Azzanni was one of eleven wide receivers coaches to watch the Longhorns’ two potential first round picks, Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy.
Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy tweeted out the full list of names—reportedly 96 total NFL personnel—who made the trip to Texas’ facility for Wednesday’s Pro Day workout.
We’ve been able spot Azzanni at the workout, as well. This is the first known Pro Day trip he’s taken since being hired by the Steelers earlier this year, replacing the departed Frisman Jackson.
Mitchell and Worthy are the two positional names of note and they come in different packages. Mitchell is a power forward, weighing in at 6022, 205 pounds at the NFL Combine. But he blazed a 4.34 40 with a 39-inch vertical and 11’4″ broad jump, giving him one of the highest RAS of all-time. Per Kent Lee Platte, his is the fifth-highest since 1987.
A Georgia transfer to Texas for 2023, he broke out for 55 receptions, 845 yards (a 15.4-yard average), and 11 touchdowns. In our scouting report, Efram Geller noted Mitchell’s natural talent and fluidity but noted inconsistent effort and not always playing to his physical tools. Still, his upside is immense, and he could be a first-round pick. In addition to attending his Pro Day, the Steelers held a formal Combine meeting with Mitchell.
Worthy stole the show at Indy, setting a Combine record with a 4.21 40, breaking John Ross’ 2017 mark by .01 seconds. For good measure, he chipped in a 41-inch vertical and 11’0″ broad jump. Much smaller at 5112, 165 pounds, his hands are among his biggest concerns with drops on tape. Our scouting report on Worthy penned similar, noting his difficulty making catches outside his frame along with a thin frame and trouble beating press. Still, his all-world speed makes him a potential late first-round pick.
After trading WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers have a clear need at wide receiver and have spent this offseason exploring options to fix it. That could come through a combination of free agency and the draft, but the odds are good that the team, unless they make a big-time trade, will draft a receiver within the first two days of April’s draft.
