The reported pre-draft behavior that led to Adonai Mitchell’s fall is of no concern to the Colts.
In fact, when asked about it, general manager Chris Ballard went on a tirade about the NFL media report that detailed that the former Longhorns wideout didn’t interview well and teams were unable to get a good read on him.
As a result, Mitchell, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver, was selected by Indianapolis at No. 52.
“That’s such bulls–t,” Ballard ranted. “I mean, it f–king is. It’s bulls–t. Like, put your name on it. We tear these young men down. These are 21-, 22-year-old men, and if people out there can tell me they’re perfect in their lives, it’s crap. It’s crap. This is a good kid, and for those reports to come out, I said it last year, it’s bulls–t.”
At first, there was first-round buzz around Mitchell, with several mock drafts predicting he would be selected toward the end of the opening round.
However, on Friday, he was still available, and several teams ahead of the Colts elected to choose other receivers — such as the Bills, who used their top pick on Day 2 (No. 33 overall) to grab Florida State’s Keon Coleman.
The Chargers also chose Georgia’s Ladd McConkey at No. 34, followed by the Patriots selecting Ja’Lynn Polk of Washington at No. 37.
Mitchell will pair up with second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who the Colts selected last year with the No. 4 overall pick.
He also will be under the wing of second-year receiver Josh Downs and Richardson’s top passing option, Michael Pittman Jr., who the Colts signed to a three-year extension in the offseason.
Mitchell started his college career at Georgia, where he won two national championships before making the jump to Texas for the 2023 season.
As a Longhorn, he caught 55 passes for 845 yards and tallied 11 touchdowns, a season that earned him second-team Big 12 honors.
He was also named the Big 12’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year.