AD Mitchell reflects on his 'dream come true'

At the time, AD Mitchell didn't know exactly what he had done.

The true freshman, football in hand, untangled himself from Alabama defensive back Khyree Jackson and stood up. He then raised his arms and blew kisses to the delirious Georgia crowd before being swarmed by teammates.

In the span of about 10 seconds, Mitchell had gone from a freshman having a solid inaugural campaign to scoring a touchdown in the national championship game, making one of the most legendary plays in Georgia history.

"It was like a dream come true," Mitchell said. "Growing up, every kid that plays football dreams of being on a stage like that. It was just crazy. I can’t even explain it to this day.”

Mitchell's freshman season had already been a great one before that January night in Indianapolis.

He finished third on the team in receptions (29), fourth in yards (426), and tied for fourth in touchdowns (four). All that for a player who joined the Bulldogs as a low four-star recruit in the Class of 2021.

As with most freshmen, Mitchell said things went pretty fast for him early on. He had to learn the playbook and try to develop chemistry with both JT Daniels and Stetson Bennett.

That comfort began to show in the stat sheet as the season progressed. Mitchell recorded catches in each of Georgia's final seven games. He caught touchdowns in both College Football Playoff victories.

The campaign's climax came in the fourth quarter of the National Championship Game, when Bennett connected with Mitchell on a 40-yard scoring strike to put the Bulldogs ahead for good.

"Everyone was just doing what they could to try to come out with the W," Mitchell said. "I was, like I said, playing my role. My number ended up being called. It was a great ball by Stetson, and I was fortunate enough to make the catch."

Mitchell didn't realize the historical significance of the catch in the heat of the moment. Only when he checked his phone in the locker room after the game did he think, "Oh dang, this is crazy."

Just over seven months removed from the biggest moment of his life, Mitchell is being looked at as one of the leaders for Georgia's offense. He is the team's third-leading returning receiver and will be depended upon as such.

But as much as he and the Bulldogs have moved on from last season, that doesn't erase the legacy Mitchell has already created for himself in Athens.

"I’d say people just know who I am, I guess," Mitchell said. "They just know I made the catch, a catch in the game. Nothing really changed, to be honest. It’s kind of just, like, I’m still working. That’s all I can say."