Tag: adonai mitchell

Adonai Mitchell had a perfect response to Nik Bonitto’s fumble-6

“It was there pretty much until [No.] 15 turned into Ed Reed and just came through out of nowhere,” Adonai Mitchell said of Nik Bonitto.

Struggling to get anything going on offense, the Indianapolis Colts turned to a trick play while trailing the Denver Broncos by four points in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson threw the ball backwards to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The receiver was then set to throw the ball back to Richardson, presumably for the QB to throw the ball downfield.

Mitchell’s backwards throw to Richardson was picked off by Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto and returned 51 yards for a touchdown. Technically, it was a fumble-six because the ball was not thrown forward.

After an eventual 31-13 win for Denver, Mitchell had a great quote on the game-changing play.

“If you look at it from my perspective, it was there pretty much until [No.] 15 turned into Ed Reed and just came through out of nowhere,” Mitchell said. “I mean, it was a great play by him. We just have to execute better.”

“I executed,” the receiver said. “I saw it, he was open, I threw it. Turns out he wasn’t open. I don’t know where [No.] 15 came from, but I didn’t see him.”

Bonitto quickly realized that it wasn’t a typical play.

“It was kind of a slow developing play, so I knew something was weird,” the pass rusher said. “The receiver usually doesn’t go catch screens like that. Once I saw Richardson drifting back a little bit, I decided to go try and break on it and ended up getting it.”

Bonitto reached a top speed of 20.19 mph on his return, which marked the fastest speed by a linebacker carrying the ball this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

“He is athletic,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the win. “That is two games in a row. It was a real good play, and the timing of it. There was like a 10-minute period in the game where it went from being close to not out of reach but certainly in our favor.”

In the team’s last game, Bonitto had a 71-yard pick-six on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns. He became the second player in franchise history to post a defensive touchdown in back-to-back games, joining former defensive back Bill Thompson (1973).

With two scores and the third-most sacks (11.5) in the NFL, Bonitto is making a case to win Defensive Player of the Year. The pass rusher was asked if he’s thought about winning the award.

“Not really because it still doesn’t seem real to be mentioned in that type of light,” Bonitto said. “There are three games left, so we have to take it one game at a time. We just have to keep stacking these wins.”

Bonitto might not be thinking about it, but the stats are on his side. J.J. Watt was the NFL’s last player to total at least 10 sacks and score two defensive touchdowns in the same season (2014), and Watt took home DPOY honors that year. Bonitto is on pace to do the same in 2024.

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Colts WR Adonai Mitchell breaks out of slump in win over the Bills

The former second-round pick was more involved than ever before, showing why the Colts prioritized him in the NFL Draft

After a slow start to the season, former Longhorns star Adonai Mitchell had his best game as pro on Sunday against the Bills. The former second-round pick was more involved than ever before, showing why the Colts prioritized him in the NFL Draft.

Against the Bills, Mitchell recorded a career-high six receptions for 71 yards. Mitchell made the most of his career-high 58 snaps and was one of the Colts’ best players. While Mitchell’s efforts were not enough to secure a win, his play stood out to many, including Colts quarterback Joe Flacco.

“He probably had a lot more snaps and was in position to come up big when he needed to, and he did a good job,” Flacco told the media postgame on Sunday. “He looked comfortable out there, caught the ball well, did a lot of good things. It’s unfortunate that it comes in a game like this where you can’t feel as good about it as you want to, but he did a good job.”

With ten games in the books, Mitchell currently ranks fifth on the Colts in receptions with 18 and receiving yards with 211 yards. He does not have a touchdown yet but is averaging 11.7 yards a catch. While the 22-year-old has not had the same success as his former teammate, Xavier Worthy, he has looked much better of late.

In his last four games, Mitchell has received at least three targets three times. As the season has progressed, he has become more of a factor and has seen his hard work pay off.

“It’s all a matter of just getting reps, learning through reps, learning through wins, learning through losses,” Mitchell said. “Kind of figuring out why you won, why you lost, and kind of just helping yourself get better. And I’ve grown a lot – just credit to the guys around me and obviously my receiver coach. We all push each other, and we all force each other to get better and grow.”

Although the Colts season has been full of ups and downs, this is the player they expected to get when they drafted Mitchell, and he is starting to read his coaches for his patience.

Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy shares story of a team hanging up on him during the NFL Draft

Kansas City #Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy shares story of a team hanging up on him during the NFL Draft | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten plenty of needed production from rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy. He has stepped into the starter’s role due to injuries to veterans throughout the winning streak.

The Chiefs’ first-round draft pick recently appeared as a guest on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ to share an interesting story about his draft night experience. A phone call could have changed things considerably between two AFC franchises.

“The (Indianapolis) Colts hung up in my face. It was a little crazy,” said Worthy. “The Colts called my phone on draft day and hung up the phone. They said, ‘Hello, this is so and so with the Colts.’ And then they stopped talking and hung up.”

The Chiefs would eventually move up in the first round to select the speedy receiver after a trade with the Buffalo Bills. Worthy confirmed that general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid spoke with him over the phone before the pick was announced.

Indianapolis selected Laiatu Latu with the 15th overall pick and ironically picked Worthy’s Texas Longhorns teammate, Adonai Mitchell, 52nd overall in the second round. Worthy has performed well in Kansas City, with 19 catches for 235 yards and three touchdowns through seven games.

Isaiah Bond named honorable mention for Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award

On Tuesday, Bond was named an honorable mention for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Player of the Week Award

In the Texas Longhorns Week 3 win, the offense thrived, putting a season-high 56 points on the board. As UTSA struggled to stop Arch Manning, Isaiah Bond showed why he can be a difference maker. On Tuesday, Bond was named an honorable mention for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Player of the Week Award.

Against the Roadrunners’ defense, Bond hauled in five catches for 103 receiving yards. He also found the end zone twice and showed off his blazing speed on a 51-yard touchdown catch. It marked the first time this season Bond had more than 100 receiving yards in a game.

As Bond frustrated the UTSA defense, he also made history. Along with Ryan Wingo, Bond became the first Longhorn to accomplish a 100-yard receiving effort during the 2024 season. The talented freshman also became the first receiving duo to each compile more than 100 yards in a single game since Adonai Mitchell and Ja’Tavion Sanders against Oklahoma State in the 2023 Big 12 Championship.

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When the Longhorns return to action on Saturday against LMU, Bond will have an excellent opportunity to build on his success. Regardless of who is under center, he has been a vocal part of the offense and a scoring machine.

With the season far from over, there should be plenty of more awards on the horizon for Bond.

Without Josh Downs, Colts’ rookie AD Mitchell becomes primary slot option

With Josh Downs ruled out, Colts’ rookie WR AD Mitchell likely becomes the Colts’ primary slot option on offense.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, which could mean rookie AD Mitchell becomes the primary slot option for the offense.

Downs has been sidelined since early August with a high ankle sprain. During that time, which included all three preseason games, Mitchell has seen the bulk of the slot snaps with the starting offense. In fact, according to PFF, nearly 70 percent of Mitchell’s preseason snaps came lined up in the slot.

On one hand, Shane Steichen’s decision to line up Mitchell in the slot this summer could be seen as a bit of a surprise, given that he was rarely asked to fill that role in college. Over three college seasons, only 13 percent of Mitchell’s 1,517 total snaps came from the slot.

However, the reason that we shouldn’t be surprised is that with Mitchell in the slot, along with Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce out wide, this allows the Colts to get their current best three available receivers all on the field together.

Mitchell’s explosiveness, coupled with his route-running ability, allows him to make an impact at all levels of the field. Those are two traits that will also help Mitchell with his transition inside, where it is more of a confined space with less room to operate.

“His releases are like the best I’ve seen,” Michael Pittman said about Mitchell during training camp. “I’ve actually been studying him because he’s so good at it and that’s something that I noticed from Day 1.”

Listed at 6-4 – 196 pounds, Mitchell will also bring added size to the slot position, which could help create mismatches in the passing game and perhaps is something that can be exploited in the run game as a blocker.

Although Mitchell will likely handle the bulk of the slot snaps, the Colts could also turn to Anthony Gould, particularly as the motion man, a role Downs was also asked to fill.

Two Longhorn freshman named to Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year watch list

On Wednesday, they received national recognition as the talented duo was named to the preseason watch list for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award

Following stellar high school careers, expectations are high for Ryan Wingo and Colin Simmons in Austin. On Wednesday, they received national recognition, as the Longhorns duo was named to the preseason watch list for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Thirty-seven players were recognized, but only one will be named the best freshman in college football at the end of the regular season.

During his high school career, Simmons was an anchor in the Duncanville High School defense. As a senior, he recorded 52 total tackles, 21 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. The Dallas native was part of a defense that allowed just 13.4 points per game and recorded four shutouts. Due to his play, Simmons was an All-America, two-time all-state, and three-time all-district honoree.

While Simmons made life difficult for quarterbacks, Wingo was St. Louis University High School’s best weapon. The talented wide receiver finished his high school career with 2,160 receiving yards and 31 receiving touchdowns. Although his senior season was limited due to injuries, Wingo recorded 46 catches in seven games.

Wingo and Simmons will be critical pieces on a team with championship aspirations. After losing stars like Adonai Mitchell in the NFL Draft, Wingo will be part of a new receiving core in the SEC. Simmons will be tasked with making the Longhorns defense one of the best in the nation.

Over the last few years, the Longhorns have had a few players come close to winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. In 2023, Anthony Hill Jr. was a semifinalist. Xavier Worthy was a finalist in 2021.

Simmons and Wingo have an excellent chance to add some hardware to their trophy cases and make history.

WATCH: Colts’ rookie WR AD Mitchell catches first preseason touchdown

Watch as Colts’ rookie second-round wide receiver AD Mitchell scores his first touchdown of the preseason.

The Indianapolis Colts’ opening drive was capped off with a touchdown pass from Anthony Richardson to rookie receiver AD Mitchell for his first NFL touchdown.

On second-and-goal from the nine-yard line, Mitchell was lined up in the slot to Richardson’s left and ran a crossing route. With the Bengals blitzing and the other Colts’ pass-catchers running clear-out routes to the end zone, Mitchell was left all alone underneath and, with 4.34 speed, won the foot race to the end zone.

Mitchell, a second-round pick the Colts has the ability to win at all levels of the field. His speed and explosiveness, coupled with his ability as a route runner allows him to create separation.

We saw this on the Colts’ third possession on what was ultimately an overthrow from Richardson, but Mitchell created a step or two of separation on an intermediate route against the Bengals’ defensive back.

“His releases are like the best I’ve seen,” Michael Pittman said. “I’ve actually been studying him because he’s so good at it and that’s something that I noticed from Day 1.

“We were actually in California doing–so we were doing one-on-one reps,” added Pittman, “and he was killing everybody, and I was like this dude is going to be good.”

Mitchell has been competing with Alec Pierce for the starting role opposite of Pittman. Regardless of who the starter is, both will see their share of playing time this season.

Without Josh Downs, Mitchell has also been tasked with playing out of the slot these last two weeks as well.

Former Longhorns star Adonai Mitchell makes NFL Preseason debut in Colts loss

On Sunday afternoon, former Longhorns star Adonai Mitchell made his highely anticipated preseason debut

On Sunday afternoon, former Longhorns star Adonai Mitchell made his highely anticipated preseason debut. The Texas native was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and is expected to be a key piece of the offense for years to come. While the Colts lost to the Broncos  34-30 on Sunday, Mitchell saw plenty of action.

Against the Broncos, Mitchell recorded one catch for 11 yards. He finished tied for second on the team in targets with two. While those statistics may not jump off the page, the Colts emptied their quarterback room with five players getting snaps under center. Most of Mitchell’s snaps came with the starters.

With his first game in the books, Mitchell will look to build on his success on Saturday against the Cardinals. He looked comfortable in the offense during Week 1 of the Preseason, and that should continue to grow with more playing time.

Mitchell is primed for a big year as the Colts prepare for the season opener. He is projected to be the No. 2 wide receiver but could see his snaps increase due to the injury of Josh Downs. On August 7, the Colts’ top option in the passing game suffered a high ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out of action for 4-6 weeks.

As Mitchell looks to make a good first impression in the NFL, he will be one of the most-watched rookies this season. During his time with the Longhorns, he showed he could be an elite player. After getting his first taste of NFL action, more milestones are on the horizon.

WATCH: Colts’ rookie WR AD Mitchell makes first NFL catch

Watch as Colts’ rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell makes his first NFL catch in the team’s preseason opener versus the Broncos.

It was only one play, but on AD Mitchell’s first catch with the Indianapolis Colts, we saw his ability to separate.

With 4.34 speed, Mitchell brings a new element to the Colts’ passing game. That explosiveness and suddenness as a route runner helps him create space from the defensive backs.

On the Colts’ third possession of the game, with Joe Flacco in at quarterback, Mitchell was lined up on the boundary and picked up 11 yards while getting open on a comeback route, moving the chains.

That combination of speed, explosiveness, and route running will allow Mitchell to make an impact at levels of the field and not only as a vertical presence.

“I think he’s got a rare ability to separate at the top of routes. He’s got an arsenal of releases versus press man, you can see it show up on tape,” said Shane Steichen during training camp. “He’s going to bring that speed element and that big-play ability too as well.”

This completion was Mitchell’s first target of the game. On the first two possessions, with Josh Downs sidelined, Mitchell was lining up in the slot, which saw from him during Friday’s practice.

Mitchell is competing with third year receiver Alec Pierce for the starting X receiver position opposite of Michael Pittman.

Texas offensive coordinator encouraged by 2024 wide receiver room

On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Kyle Flood showed faith in his WR unit

The Texas Longhorns will begin their first season in the SEC in less than a month. After an offseason full of change, expectations are high due to a roster full of talent. On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Kyle Flood showed faith in his unit.

One of Flood’s biggest challenges is getting the most out of his wide receivers. Xavier Worthy, Jordan Whittington, and Adonai Mitchell were selected in the NFL draft, leaving the Longhorns with holes on offense. However, they moved quickly to fill the void, and Flood has been encouraged by what he has seen.

“Even though we don’t have the returning starts [at receiver], necessarily here at Texas for that position group that we do at some other positions, we have a lot of confidence in that receiver room,”Flood told the media.

As the Longhorns look to replicate last season’s success, they will have plenty of options to rely on who are motivated to prove themselves. That list includes Johntay Cook, a five-star recruit in the 2023 class, former Houston Cougar Matthew Golden, and five-star recruit Ryan Wingo.

Many in Austin, including Flood, are excited about what the new faces can bring to the program.

“I was looking at it this morning before I came in here, and we’ve got nine receivers who are ultimately going to take reps with the ones and twos this training camp, and that’s something we haven’t been anything near that in the three previous years that we’ve been here. So, it’s a talented room. Coach [Chris] Jackson had a good offseason with those guys.”

They will get their first opportunity to make an impact on August 31st when the Longhorns open their season against Colorado State.