Denzel Mims has made an impression on Jets coaches and Sam Darnold alike, however, they understand the limitations that come with a rookie who didn’t get a normal offseason or a minicamp.
“It’s always tough for rookies coming in, especially at that position,” Adam Gase said of Mims on Wednesday. “It’s a lot of moving parts, especially not having a spring and just recently being on the field… I can tell he likes being on the field, he likes being able to do it physically, instead of just sitting in front of a playbook.”
Gase admitted that there’s definitely a challenge for receivers transitioning from college to the pros. Especially for Mims, who has plenty of room to grow as a route runner. Still, Mims’ contested catch ability, blended with his ball skills, catch radius and speed, make him the perfect candidate to develop into a No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
“He’s a very big dude, big receiver, very fast as well and explosive,” Darnold said. “He can get in and out of cuts. Whenever you have a big dude who can get in and out of cuts and he’s fast like that, it’s rare.”
Although Mims fell into the Jets’ lap in the second round of April’s draft, he was still among one of the top wide receivers in the country during his time at Baylor. Mims finished in the top five among FBS wideouts in receiving yards, catches of at least 15 yards and touchdowns from 2017-19, according to Michael Nania.
While those results at the next level aren’t going to come right away for the rookie receiver, he’s already shown Jets wide receiver coach Shawn Jefferson what he’s capable of during the team’s virtual meetings.
“As we started the virtual meetings, I started giving them tests and all the tests were based on a point system, so it was competitive among the group,” Jefferson told the team website. “I learned he’s a very competitive guy. He picks up things quite well and his self-awareness is intact. Every time I give a test on a certain thing and he didn’t get it, he’s like, ‘Coach, let’s run that test back.’ He wants to take it over again and run it back. That tells me he’s going to work hard and if he doesn’t get it, he’s going to put the time in to get it. I’m certainly glad to have him. He adds another dimension to our offense as well.”
Penciled in as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver, Mims’ rookie campaign likely won’t come without growing pains. Still, he should be able to come in and have a major impact on New York’s offense considering his work ethic and competitiveness.