Mitchell chooses 10 for WRs drafted before him

INDIANAPOLIS — The No. 5 jersey that Colts second-round pick Adonai Mitchell wore at Georgia and Texas is already taken in Indianapolis.

Mitchell's new starting quarterback, Anthony Richardson, has that number.

But it was not difficult for Mitchell to find a new number to wear in the NFL.

Mitchell will wear No. 10 for the Colts, a source confirmed to IndyStar on Friday, the same as the number of receivers taken before he heard his name called in the NFL draft two weeks ago. ESPN's Stephen Holder first reported the reason for Mitchell's choice of jersey number.

The Texas product had already made it clear on draft night that he wasn't happy with waiting until the No. 52 pick of the draft to hear his name called.

"Right now, the only thing I'm kind of feeling now is I'm kind of pissed," Mitchell said at the time. "I don't know what other way to call it."

Mitchell was projected to be a firstround pick by most draft analysts.

But concerns about Mitchell's onfield consistency — he had just one year of major production at the collegiate level — and off-the-field concerns that prompted Colts general manager Chris Ballard to go on a profanity-laced tirade at reports by the NFL Network and longtime NFL reporter Bob McGinn that detailed the concerns of teams.

"At the end of the day, people were chosen before me. That's just the reality of it," Mitchell said. "My job now is to make them pay."

The 10 WRs chosen ahead of Adonai Mitchell

Marvin Harrison Jr., No. 4, Cardinals

Malik Nabers, No. 6, Giants Rome Odunze, No. 9, Bears Brian Thomas Jr., No. 23, Jaguars Xavier Worthy, No. 28, Chiefs Ricky Pearsall, No. 31, 49ers Xavier Legette, No. 32, Panthers Keon Coleman, No. 33, Bills

Ladd McConkey, No. 34, Chargers Ja'Lynn Polk, No. 37, Patriots Indianapolis released the rest of the jersey numbers for its nine-man draft class in advance of rookie minicamp on Friday.

Colts 2024 draft class jersey numbers

Laiatu Latu, DE, No. 97 Adonai Mitchell, WR, No. 10 Matt Goncalves, G/T, No. 71 Tanor Bortolini, C/G, No. 60 Anthony Gould, WR, No. 6 Jaylon Carlies, LB, No. 57 Jaylin Simpson, CB, No. 30 Micah Abraham, CB, No. 33 Jonah Laulu, DT, 74

Latu wanted to wear his signature No. 15 in the NFL, but he will not get his wish, at least for the foreseeable future.

And it’s not because veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was unwilling to give up the number.

Latu’s No. 15 is unavailable because of NFL rules. While the league relaxed its guidance on positional jersey numbers a couple of years ago, the NFL maintained that defensive linemen must wear a number that falls within two ranges: 50 to 79, or 90 to 99.

Latu will line up at defensive end for Indianapolis, and because of that, he will wear No. 97 for the Colts.

Latu was far from the only draft pick who was unable to get his collegiate number.

Jake Witt already has the No. 76 Matt Goncalves wore at Pittsburgh, Tanor Bortolini's No. 63 at Wisconsin has been worn by Danny Pinter for years, Anthony Gould's No. 2 is taken by D.J. Montgomery, the No. 1 Jaylon Carlies rocked at Missouri is occupied by Josh Downs, Jaylin Simpson's No. 36 is on the back of safety Kendell Brooks, Micah Abraham's No. 6 went to Gould instead and Jonah Laulu's No. 8 has long been worn by Indianapolis punter Rigoberto Sanchez.

Now, it's important to realize these numbers might not be set in stone.