The Indianapolis Colts offense has been extremely inconsistent, especially with their inexperienced quarterback, Anthony Richardson. With this, the receivers have taken a hit in their production numbers and have, all around, lacked any real burst and consistency on the field.
However, one receiver in particular has shown considerable upside even in this lackluster season. Rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell was considered a “steal” by the Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft. While his numbers do not convey that notion, he has demonstrated that his potential is far outweighing his current production.
With more reps and experience, Mitchell could become the Colts top receiver moving forward. This is not to say that Mitchell is there now, but he could get top-tier status within the next few years. If this young Colts offense can continue to learn and grow, the possibilities are endless for this team. Particularly, the possibilities are endless with Mitchell as he has all of the tools and traits to be one of the greats.
Adonai Mitchell’s Upside Is Outweighing His Current Production with the Colts
How He Has Produced Thus Far
Adonai Mitchell has appeared in 15 games this season and is fourth amongst his fellow receivers in total yards. He has 290 yards receiving with a 13.8 yards average per catch. He also has 14 first downs on just 21 receptions.
This means that when Mitchell gets the football, drives are sustained. His numbers are not Rookie of the Year worthy or even Pro Bowl worthy. However, as mentioned, many of the Colts wide receivers have taken a hit in production due to their inexperienced quarterback. Mitchell is no exception to this.
The main area where Mitchell needs to grow is his consistency with catching the football. He only has 21 receptions on 50 targets. His targets are fourth amongst his fellow receivers, but his 42% catch rate is the worst. Again, some of this is due to his quarterback, but there were times in which Mitchell seemed unable to catch a catchable ball or make an effort for a catchable ball. While this data does not bode well for him currently, it does not diminish his upside for the future.
How He Has Demonstrated Tremendous Upside
Despite the inconsistencies with catch rate success, Adonai Mitchell has considerable upside. There is a reason why the Colts drafted him with their second-round pick. During the draft, Mitchell fell as he was considered, early on, as a first-round talent. Other teams had concerns about his abilities, but the Colts had faith that he could be great in their offense.
So far this season, Mitchell has showcased that he can make tough catches. For many rookies, there are fundamental issues with route running and this typically goes hand-in-hand with their ability to make athletic catches. Mitchell still needs to work on some fundamentals, but he has the talent to catch unconventional ball locations.
The goal moving forward is just to make sure that he gets the fundamentals down and creates chemistry with his quarterback. Mitchell is not the second-round steal that the Colts thought they were getting, but he can be that with time.
Main Photo Courtesy of Grace Hollars – Imagn Images
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