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INDIANAPOLIS – The actions from AD Mitchell were the most important spring takeaway, but don’t discredit the words from his peers as well.
First, Mitchell’s spring actions added up to consistent playmaking during the handful of media viewings.
We are talking a play or two each practice with Mitchell flashing down the field, creating separation in 1-on-1 matchups and making plays that you haven’t seen enough of from Colts wideouts in years past.
Now, the competition of the Colts cornerbacks isn’t thought to be among the league’s elite, but any rookie flashing as much as Mitchell did is something to note.
Words wise, it was interesting to hear how the Colts are talking about their 21-year-old wideout.
Since the draft, any Mitchell discourse led to quite the debate, trying to pinpoint why exactly a big-play college wideout on some grand stages became the 11th wideout taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Going a step further than Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen, you find some “non rookie lingo’ from those watching Mitchell work.
The first came from offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who was present at Mitchell’s Texas Pro Day, pointing to the ever important area of earning a coaching staff’s trust.
“As a young receiver coming into this league, the pass game is pretty complex,” Cooter said. “We’re lucky enough to get AD from Texas where (head coach Steve Sarkisian) does as good a job as anybody with that. So he was ready for the professional aspect of learning an offense – complexities, depth, splits, route adjustments, things like that.
“He’s come in, he’s done a great job learning that stuff.”
The learning sounds like it’s happening in the Colts wideout room, too. And not just from Mitchell in his maiden NFL offseason.
Count Michael Pittman Jr. as one who is in the learning camp from the second-round pick.
“You bring in AD and he’s very talented. Everything he does is so natural. I think he brings something extra that we didn’t have before. I’m learning stuff from him that I didn’t know before. Just the way he moves and the way he sets up moves. I think he’s elevating everybody.
“He’s all about football. We are always talking about concepts, routes, releases, set up moves. He’s all ball 24/7.”
Of course, more and more challenges await Mitchell as he journeys through NFL life.
But there’s reasons, both in witnessing and listening, to see why many are eager to see what Mitchell can become.
