AD Mitchell's Dominance vs. Ravens Latest Sign of Development

The Indianapolis Colts are home to some intriguing young talent, some of those players of which are still attempting to meet their potential. One of those players, and perhaps the most intriguing on the roster, is second-year wide receiver AD Mitchell.

The Colts drafted Mitchell with the 52nd overall pick in 2024, enamored with the 6'2", 205-pound playmaker with 4.34 speed who seemed to have glue on his hands.

Mitchell's rookie year went much rockier than expected. Although he caught 23 balls for 312 yards, he was one of the worst-graded wide receivers in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, only pulling in 42% of his targets -- including zero contested catches or touchdowns -- and credited with four drops. The talent was clear, as Mitchell was nearly unguardable as a route runner, but once the ball was in the air, finishing plays wasn't a certainty.

During the Colts' current training camp, which began July 23, Mitchell got off to a slow start by dropping passes and struggling to maintain his footing on the field, but as soon as the Colts put their pads on during their August 28 practice, Mitchell flipped a switch.

“It’s great," Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Tuesday about Mitchell's development. "You want to see that growth, like I've been saying. His playmaking ability and his route running ability is phenomenal. And to see the plays he's been making over the last few weeks is really good for us, really good for him. You want to see that jump from last year, and he continues to grow and make strides. We got to continue that consistency there.”

What Mitchell -- who turns just 23 years old this October -- has been putting on the field in the last two weeks is unrecognizable from the player who looked unassertive last year and early in this summer's camp.

Not only has Mitchell routinely held onto the ball and kept his footing, but his confidence appears to be booming, and he's showing the comfort to do more with the ball in his hands. He's maintained his elite level of route running, making plays on the short, intermediate, and deep portions of the field, over the middle, and down the sidelines.

“Really, my teammates, and just leaning on the guys that are around me, honestly," Mitchell answered when asked what's behind his recent flourish. "Q (Quenton Nelson) got up and said some things in front of the team that really stuck with us. He was talking about bringing the energy and hyping up your teammates and stuff. So, kind of ever since then, that's all we've been trying to do, is just bring the juice up and make plays.”