Denzel Mims’ college coach Matt Rhule believes the receiver is going to thrive in New York.
The Jets took Mims with the 58th pick in this year’s draft hoping he can be a weapon for Sam Darnold. Rhule coached Mims for three seasons at Baylor and expects Jets fans to get accustomed to hearing his name a lot throughout his time in the Big Apple.
“He’s a guy that Jets fans are going to love,” Rhule told Newsday. “He’s blue-collar, tough guy, but yet he still runs 4.38 [40-yard dash]. He’s going to be a deep-ball threat. He’s got great hands, really, really smart, really tough and competitive.”
Mims was a dynamic playmaker under Rhule at Baylor. He recorded two 1,000-yard seasons and had at least eight touchdowns in three of his four seasons in Waco.
Now the Jets are counting on Mims to be a legitimate threat in their offense. Darnold hasn’t really had a true No. 1 wide receiver in his first two years. That, along with a weak offensive line, has held Darnold back from reaching his full potential.
With Robby Anderson gone now — he reunited with Rhule in Carolina — there’s a chance Darnold still struggles with the pieces around him. However, Anderson’s departure means lots of opportunities for Mims.
If he can replicate the production he delivered Rhule at Baylor, then Jets fans are certainly going to take a liking to the second-round pick.