Late last season, when Jets GM Darren Mougey made moves to improve the team's prospects in 2026 and beyond -- trading S Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and DT Quinnen Williams to Dallas -- the inclusion of second-year WR Adonai Mitchell in the package from the Colts was an afterthought for many.
Mitchell, 23, was Indy's second-round selection (No. 52 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. He played in all 17 games as a rookie (starting 7), though he was limited to 383 snaps and 23 receptions. After joining the Green & White for the final 8 games of the 2025 season, Mitchell chipped in with 24 receptions for 301 yards (12.5 per) and 2 TDs.
Ahead of the 2026 season and a few weeks before the start of training camps, NFL.com Around the NFL writer Nick Shook included Mitchell among a group of 10 players he believes are "potential risers" across the league.
"Look, I'm still a believer in Mitchell," Shook wrote. "He needed to grow up, the Colts didn't have patience for it.
"Things are better there now, though, starting with the arrival of veteran quarterback Geno Smith and the experience of a full offseason with a team that might actually incorporate him into its plans. I know the talent we saw on display at Texas wasn't an apparition. Some stability and veteran leadership (plus more field time shared with Garrett Wilson) should do him wonders."
Wilson missed most of last season with a knee injury and his return, in addition to the signing of Smith and the drafting of Indiana star Omar Cooper Jr. and Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq gives the Jets' OC Frank Reich tantalizing opportunities to open up the passing attack.
"What doesn't kill me makes me stronger," said Mitchell during the offseason. "I just work on attacking everything, attacking every day. I'm not really worried about the circumstances but more worried about how I make my circumstances and how I make the best out of each and every day. I would say that just comes with it."
Jets HC Aaron Glenn has made it clear that the coaching staff has plans for Mitchell and see him as a valuable part of the offense in his first full season with the club.
"He's here for a reason, and sometimes when these trades happen, people think that he's a throw-in, but he was never a throw-in," Glenn said. "He was a guy that we wanted. Listen, we watched him coming out of college. He's actually from my hometown. He went to high school with my daughter, so I've known about this player for a while, so for him to be able to be a part of the trade, to be a part of what we're building, again, he's a true X receiver [on the side of the field opposite the tight end]. He has good speed, he can win one-on-one, so man, I just look forward to seeing him progress and being a huge part of what we're doing."
With the acquisition of a veteran quarterback in Smith, Mitchell said that they've already been fast developing a strong rapport that should carry into the regular season.
"AD is a great, young talent and he's a super hard worker. AD and I, we've made some plays on the field, but all of those guys, just the way that we work and prepare, I'm really happy about that and I'm really excited about AD," Smith said, referring to Mitchell. "I think he's going to be a special player for a long time. He's obviously got the talent, but what people might not see is the way that he works, the way that he studies, and just the type of teammate that he is; he's a great teammate, and I think that goes a long way. I'm really excited for him, but also the entire receiver and tight end group, the entire skill group. I think we've got some great players."
