Who Should I Start? Adonai Mitchell or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Saturday, April 11, 6:05 AM

New York wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was acquired in the mid-season deal that saw the Jets ship cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts, and over eight inconsistent games with his new team, he showed a handful of flashes, scoring twice and topping 100 yards for the first time in his career in a Week 13 win over the Falcons. For the duration of Garrett Wilson's career, the Jets have been trying to pair him with another receiver capable of drawing coverage, something they had briefly with Davante Adams, but Mitchell now represents the most capable option currently on the roster. The Jets have two of the first 16 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including number two overall, and they have been regularly tied to some of the top names in a deep receiver class. However, with three picks in the first round of the 2027 draft, they could opt to continue shoring up the trenches and wait to make their splashier moves in a draft expected to be richer in talent. Should New York choose to ignore the receiving room until later in the draft, Mitchell would have every opportunity to claim the role opposite Wilson in two-receiver sets, clearing a path to a modest year-three breakout.