Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. declared for the NFL following a breakout junior campaign and is poised to be among the top five or so wideouts chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He was rewarded for his efforts with first-team All-Big 12 honors by FBS coaches and was second-team selection from the Associated Press. Mims also earned second-team Academic All-Big 12 recognition.
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 183 pounds
40 time: 4.38 seconds
Mims was a standout receiver in high school, too, setting Texas state records for career and single-season receiving yards, highlighted by a Tecmo Bowl-like stat line of 117-2,629-32 touchdowns as a senior.
Table: Marvin Mims stats (2020-22)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
Pros
- Blazing-fast strider whose speed can sneak up on a defender in a hurry — several examples of him blowing past a cornerback to create laughable separation
- Operates primarily from the slot but can move all over the field to create mismatches
- Special teams returner experience
- Can be game planned into any system to attack from all three levels and offers game-breaking ability even in a limited role
- Great body control to catch passes in traffic by contorting to find the right placement
- Tracks ball well down the field and has quality hands in general
- Tough to overthrow
- Competitive spirit who is a known for a strong work ethic
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Cons
- Limited route experience, which can make him easier to game plan against early in his development
- Needs to incorporate a wider variety of moves to shake press coverage at the line of scrimmage
- Lacks ideal size in jump-ball situations, despite sporting a healthy 39 1/2-inch vertical
- Doesn’t have the kind of wiggle and agility some may expect to see from a receiver with his explosiveness
Fantasy football outlook
A really fair athletic and stature comparison is Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney. Now, due to situational reasons, Mooney hasn’t been utilized as much as a downfield much as his skills suggest, but their traits are extremely similar.
Mims, a probable Day 2 selection, doesn’t profile as a true WR1 in the pros. He should make for a strong second option and could serve as dangerous vertical threat, like Hollywood Brown. In Year 1, regardless of where he lands, Mims could have a few plays per week designed to take advantage of his raw speed. It doesn’t take much route knowledge to run a nine route or catch a screen and run like the wind.
Mims’ likeliest long-term outlook is that of a low-volume, big-play type. That will help keep him involved in most settings, but it makes for a frustrating go of it in fantasy. At best, Mims is a late-round flier in conventional fantasy drafts. He’s more suited to offer matchup-based utility in daily fantasy action.