Tag: adonai mitchell

Texas WR, former Georgia Bulldog declares for NFL draft

Georgia Bulldog fans will always remember Adonai Mitchell’s clutch College Football Playoff touchdown catches

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell has declared for the 2024 NFL draft. Mitchell, who spent one season at Texas, transferred to the Longhorns after beginning his college football career at Georgia.

Adonai Mitchell is ranked as the No. 32 player in the draft, per Tankathon. Mitchell has a legitimate chance to be a first round pick.

Adonai Mitchell will be remembered for his clutch College Football Playoff performances. Mitchell caught a touchdown pass in all five of his career College Football Playoff appearances. Mitchell, who won back-to-back national championships at Georgia, finishes his college career with a 4-1 record in the playoff.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound receiver will be fun to watch at the next level. Mitchell is a former three-star recruit that immediately jumped off the page as a recruiting industry miss when he got to Georgia.

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Georgia fans will never forget Adonai Mitchell’s 40-yard touchdown reception against Alabama in the 2021 national championship game.

Adonai Mitchell’s play against Alabama was amazing, but it was arguably not as clutch as his catch against Ohio State in the next year’s College Football Playoff.

What to expect from NFL qualifying Texas players over the next week

Don’t get your hopes up for Adonai Mitchell to return to Texas, but the Longhorns could see positive news.

The Texas Longhorns have a few players who will have NFL decisions to make over the next week or so. Several Longhorns have made their decision and in each one the team can benefit in different ways.

Texas is going to have several players drafted in this year’s NFL draft. It should end the narrative that the program doesn’t develop players, although it should have been evident by several conference and national award winners across the roster this season.

We expect the Longhorns’ 2024 draft class to be one of its best in a long time. Receivers Xavier Worthy and Ja’Tavion Sanders have first round potential if not a realistic shot at a second day draft selection. Interior defensive linemen T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy figure to be high draft picks as well.

It’s unclear where right tackle Christian Jones, running back Jonathon Brooks, wide receiver Jordan Whittington and linebacker Jaylan Ford could be selected, but the four figure to compete for NFL rosters when all is said and done.

A handful of Texas players have not made their decision on whether to return or begin their NFL career. Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, quarterback Quinn Ewers and defensive back Jahdae Barron are among those players.

We expect Quinn Ewers to return. Mitchell and Barron are still apparently weighing their decisions.

The likelihood is that Mitchell will pursue the NFL draft considering his likely high NFL draft grade. We would like to see Texas sway the imposing receiver to return. Certainly, it would solidify the team atop the SEC alongside Alabama and Georgia. A return just doesn’t seem likely.

Barron on the other hand could be a different story. Despite being arguably the Longhorns’ best defensive back, the nickel corner might not be higher than a sixth round player. He’s a sure tackler and good in coverage, but could benefit from another year in college. There’s a reasonable chance Barron returns.

Linebacker David Gbenda is another player to watch. It’s hard to envision Gbenda watching multi-year starters like center Jake Majors and edge Barryn Sorrell return only for the veteran linebacker to choose to go to the NFL. That said, the skilled linebacker might want to enter the league with more prime years available. If he were to return, the Texas defense looks a lot better than it would without him.

You can expect Adonai Mitchell to join fellow receivers in Worthy and Sanders in the NFL draft. Even so, Ewers, Barron and Gbenda could, and perhaps should, all come back. If they do, the Longhorns are set up for another special season.

Four Longhorns projected in second round of latest 2024 NFL mock draft

Texas should be well represented throughout the first few rounds of the 2024 NFL draft.

Texas should be well represented throughout the first few rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. Continue reading “Four Longhorns projected in second round of latest 2024 NFL mock draft”

Social media reacts to the Texas Longhorns’ loss in the Sugar Bowl

The Texas Longhorns lost in devastating fashion in the College Football Playoff and here’s how social media reacted.

In what many are calling the best College Football Playoff semifinal ever, the Texas Longhorns walked away empty handed.

After it looked like they weren’t going to get another significant chance to try to win their semifinal with Washington, the Longhorns moved the ball to the Huskies 15-yard line with a shot to win the game.

Four plays later, the Longhorns’ season ended in defeat. Steve Sarkisian inexplicably threw a swing pass to Jaydon Blue on first down, which gained zero yards but took time off the clock. On second down, Ewers threw the ball out of the end zone with Adonai Mitchell well covered. On third down, the Texas quarterback felt the pressure on the blitz and had to get rid of the ball. As he did, the clock nearly struck zero.

The officiating crew rightfully put one second back on the clock. On the final play, Ewers threw a jump ball to Mitchell in the end zone, which was knocked away by Washington cornerback Elijah Jackson to seal the win for the Huskies.

Washington moves on to take on the Michigan Wolverines in the College Football Playoff national championship, and Oklahoma fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Here’s how social media reacted.

College Football Playoff semis could be a wide receiver draft showcase

A plethora of wide receiver prospects will be on display in the CFP semifinal games

It’s fitting that the four participants in the College Football Playoff have an abundance of future NFL draft picks on their rosters. This year’s final four is especially loaded at one particular position.

There will be many wide receivers who will be selected in the 2024 NFL draft on the field when Michigan faces Alabama and especially when Washington and Texas face off.

The Huskies have three draftable wide receivers. The headliner is Rome Odunze, a likely first-round pick with his blend of size, strength and downfield ability. Ja’Lynn Polk currently projects in the 75-125 overall range with his sticky hands and ability to win at any range of the field. Jalen McMillan is one of the top slot threats in the draft, if he declares, though he’s also capable of playing outside and is hyper-effective out of bunch sets.

Texas has a duo in Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy that appears capable of each being top-40 overall picks. Worthy’s incredible speed is a great trump card; he had the fastest GPS-timed speed of any player in college football at 22.7 MPH. At just 172 pounds and plagued by drop issues and injuries, Worthy won’t be for everyone, however. Mitchell offers great size and thrived down the field after transferring from Georgia. He’s also a handful as a blocker.

Michigan’s Roman Wilson quietly improved his all-around game, enough that the speedy Wolverine is in the 3rd/4th-round conversation. His ability to work with QB J.J. McCarthy on broken plays will be mighty appealing for NFL teams with improvisational-type quarterbacks. Cornelius Johnson offers good size and the ability to make tacklers miss, and he projects as a Day 3 weapon.

Alabama is young at the wideout spot, but Jermaine Burton has the potential to be a middle-round pick if he declares for the draft.

Enjoy the games!

Texas OC/OL coach Kyle Flood discusses WR Adonai Mitchell’s impact

Adonai Mitchell opened more versatile game planning for Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood.

Texas is a far more dynamic offense than it was last season. Big play wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is a huge reason for the dynamic performance. Continue reading “Texas OC/OL coach Kyle Flood discusses WR Adonai Mitchell’s impact”

2024 NFL draft: Early top-10 wide receivers for an epic class

2024 NFL draft: Early top-10 wide receivers for an epic class from Brennen Rupp

Over the past four NFL Drafts, there have been 44 wide receivers selected in the first two rounds. In both the 2020 and 2022 drafts, there were six wide receivers taken in the first round and seven selected in the second round.

The 2024 NFL Draft could exceed those numbers, with potentially 17 wide receivers that could be selected in the first two rounds. Let’s take a look at the top end of what could end up being a historic wide receiver class. 

Two Texas WR’s selected in first round of ESPN’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft

In ESPN’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft, two Texas wide receivers are projected to be taken off the board in the first round.

Texas will have several highly rated prospects for the 2024 NFL draft. Continue reading “Two Texas WR’s selected in first round of ESPN’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft”

Texas vs. Washington will feature a bevy of talented pass catchers

Texas vs. Washington will feature a bevy of talented pass catchers looking to the 2024 NFL draft

The College Football Playoff matchup between Washington and Texas figures to be a track meet with offenses that can score points in bunches. It’s a matchup that will feature six pass catchers that could all end up being selected in the Top 100 when the 2024 NFL Draft rolls around. 

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Odunze passes the eye test with his size and athleticism. He’s able to vary his route speed to keep defensive backs off balance and has a lot of branches on his route tree. After enjoying a breakout campaign last season, Odunze heads into the matchup against Texas with 81 receptions for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Projected round: 1st

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

The Georgia transfer finished his first season at Texas with 51 receptions for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns. At 6-4, Mitchell is a long wide receiver with smooth body control. Mitchell accelerated quickly off the line of scrimmage and wins vertically with his long strides. Mitchell has strong, accepting hands and according to Pro Football Focus, Mitchell has just one drop on the season.

Projected round: Late 1st/early 2nd

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

A former track athlete, Worthy is a big-play creator with his instant accelerator. Worthy finished the regular season with 73 receptions for 969 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. It’s worth noting that Worthy exited the Big 12 Championship Game with an injury and later appeared on crutches, so his status for this matchup will be worth monitoring. 

Projected round: 2nd

Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Polk has made a habit of making highlight reel-worthy catches all season. He has outstanding body control and strong hands to make catches in traffic look like a walk in the park. With Jalen McMIllan sidelined for the majority of the season, Polk has enjoyed a breakout season, with 60 receptions for 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. 

Projected round: 2nd

Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

Sanders finished the regular season with 39 receptions for 607 yards and two touchdowns. At 6-4 with the speed to win vertically, Sanders has the tools to be a mismatch nightmare working the middle of the field. He adjusts well outside his frame and has strong hands (zero drops). Once he reels in it he has some juice after the catch.

Projected round: 2nd

Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

McMillan missed a good portion of the season due to injury. He still finished with 34 receptions for 468 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown against Boise State in the season-opener. A former track athlete, McMillan is an explosive playmaker. With another strong outing, McMillan could cement his status as one of the top wide receivers in a loaded class.

Projected round: 2nd

 

Texas WR Isaiah Neyor expected to enter transfer portal

Isaiah Neyor appears to be headed elsewhere.

Texas could be set to suffer its biggest portal loss for the 2024 cycle. Wide receiver Isaiah Neyor is expected to enter the transfer portal.

Among those who have been reported likely to leave Texas, we had the highest hopes for Neyor in burnt orange. The talented and proven receiver caught 44 passes for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021 before transferring from Wyoming to Texas.

Injuries derailed what was primed to be a national breakout for the talented pass catcher in 2022. Many of the offensive improvements Texas has made this season with Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell we expected to occur last season with Neyor. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to happen in Austin.

The ceiling and playmaking ability are still there for the journeyman receiver. We were still open to the possibility that Neyor could be the lead pass catcher in 2024, but talented freshman Johntay Cook looks more likely to take that mantle of current Texas players who could return.

We will monitor where Neyor goes should he transfer from Texas.