Texas Longhorns Ex Adonai Mitchell Sends Message to NFL With New Colts Jersey Number

Adonai Mitchell has a chip on his shoulder heading into his first NFL season.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (5) makes a touchdown catch over Washington cornerback / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was projected to be selected as a first-round pick heading into last month's NFL Draft.

Instead, thanks to erroneous reports that attacked his character and demeanor, Mitchell's draft stock slid into the middle of the second round and he became the 11th wide receiver to come off of the board, being selected No. 52 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Understandably, Mitchell was frustrated by the slide, noting as much in his post draft interview.

“Right now the only thing I’m feeling is I'm just kinda pissed," Mitchell said, per Fox 59 Indianapolis. “I don’t really know what other way to call it.’’

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (5) makes a touchdown catch over Washington cornerback / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

With that in mind, upon picking his new jersey number with the Colts, he decided to send a message to the rest of the teams that passed on him, according to a report from ESPN's Stephen Holder.

"Fun fact: AD Mitchell’s jersey number is not random," Holder said on X. "It’s based on the number of WRs drafted before him."

Mitchell, who led the Longhorns in touchdown receptions last season, was known for showing up in the biggest moments during his entire college career, catching touchdowns in five consecutive College Football Playoff games.

With that kind of resumé, as well as his elite athletic traits, it is easy to see why Mitchell deserved to have first-round consideration.

And as Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian noted in an interview with Holder, despite the slide, Mitchell's confidence is never going to waiver, and he was always going to be a valuable piece to any franchise that he joined.

"The way he takes care of his daughter and the compassion and love that he has for her, I think that's exactly who he was in our locker room and around our team," Sarkisian said in the interview. "He's a compassionate guy. A family-oriented guy. He loves to feel the love, but he also likes to give love. "And I think that's the sign of a really good teammate and just a sign of the character that he has."