The Pittsburgh Steelers have more uncertainty in who the will pick at 20th overall than ever before. And in one new mock draft, the team throws a massive new curveball.
In the Ringer’s latest mock draft, the Steelers take AD Mitchell out of Texas.
“The Steelers start to restock the shelves at wide receiver after trading away Diontae Johnson, grabbing an über-talented pass catcher in Mitchell. The Longhorns star is a good fit for a Russell Wilson–led or Justin Fields–led offense. He brings elite speed to get down the field, knows how to own the sideline on deep shots, and can twist and contort to bring down contested passes in the red zone,” they wrote.
Pittsburgh did have a pre-draft visit scheduled with Mitchell, continuing their interest in the top wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft class and Mitchell specifically.
The Steelers have shown significant interest in Mitchell, holding a formal interview with him at the 2024 NFL Combine and also sending wide receivers coach Zach Azzani to the Texas pro day to scout Mitchell and fellow Longhorns receivers Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington.
They’ve also been scouting many of the other top receivers in the draft class. The Steelers have brought in or have scheduled pre-draft visits with Florida’s Ricky Pearsall, Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley, South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, USC’s Tahj Washington and Rice’s Luke McCaffrey.
The also met with Washington’s Rome Odunze, LSU’s Brian Thomas, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Washington’s Jalen McMillan and Florida State’s Keon Coleman at the 2024 NFL Combine.
In addition to Texas, Azzani, along with head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan, were at the Michigan pro day to see Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson. Khan and Tomlin also went to the pro days at Georgia (Ladd McConkey, Marcus Rosem) and Alabama (Jermaine Burton).
Mitchell played just one season at Texas in 2023 after transferring from Georgia, and he broke out in a big way as a junior last fall. Mitchell caught 38 passes for 560 yards and seven touchdowns over two seasons at Georgia — including one playing behind current Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. Last year at Texas, he caught 55 passes for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading to an All-Big 12 selection.
Steelers Draft Profile: Texas WR AD Mitchell a Smooth Playmaker on the Perimeter
At the 2024 NFL Combine, Mitchell was dominant, posting a 4.34-second 40-yard dash, a 39.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-4 broad jump for a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score out of 10 — the highest rating in the entire 2024 NFL Draft class and one of the highest tested athleticism scores of all time.
Mitchell is anticipated to be a first-round pick, with his NFL Mock Draft Database average currently at No. 28 overall, making him likely to be available when the Steelers pick at No. 20 in the first round. Mitchell is also a potential option for the Steelers as a trade-back in the first round.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2024 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD
More must-reads: