NFL Draft player spotlight: WR Marvin Mims – Oklahoma’s next great wideout

Expert’s note: This is part of a continuing series of articles looking at former Oklahoma football players who are 2023 NFL Draft prospects.

Sooner wide receiver Marvin Mims has been a coach’s dream at the University of Oklahoma. Since his first year in the Sooner offense in 2020, Mims’ production has steadily increased to the point of all-conference notoriety. Mims joined the Crimson and Cream following his historic high school career at Lone Star high school in Frisco, Texas.

He was rated as a composite 4-star recruit according to 247Sports. According to SoonerSports.com, Mims set the Texas high school football all-time record for receiving yards in a career (5,485) and a season (2,629). This is the NFL Draft player spotlight for Marvin Mims presented by Stormin’ in Norman.

Mims’ Sooner’s career saw him earn an OU wide receiver first, Freshman All-American honor, and second-team All-Big 12 selection. In Mims’ first year, he played in all eleven games, where he accumulated 37 receptions for 610 yards and nine touchdowns. This production only increased in his following two years, ending with a career total of 123 receptions for 2,398 yards and 20 touchdowns. Following this last year (2022), Mims received his second selection to the All-Big 12 First Team list and ended his career ranked third on OU’s list of receivers with 40-plus yard receptions, totaling 18. Mims led the Sooners in receiving yards every season he was in Norman.

Like the on-field product, Mims’ off-field presence was elite. Mims was a leader in Norman, especially during the Venables coaching transition and mass exodus of players, which no other college football program has yet experienced. Mims’ humble demeanor and contagious personality made him a leader in the locker room and on the practice field.

Film Study: The first thing you’ll notice when you watch Mims is his ability to catch the deep ball. Mims averaged more than 20 yards per reception in 21′ and 22′, mainly due to his ability to compete for the deep ball.

Mims can come off the line of scrimmage with little wasted movement and execute a deep route with consistent speed and separation. He also shows a constant propensity to attack open areas in zone coverage. He consistently catches the football and has shown the ability to make acrobatic catches when he’s double-covered. During the 2022 season, Mims frequently faced double coverage due to his deep-threat attack ability and the fact that the Sooner offense has few options in the deep game outside of the occasional Brayden Willis post route. Mims showcased creativity with the ball in the air and frequently came down with 50/50 balls.

The second skillset Mims excels with is his speed and strength. Mims was able to rack up solid yards-after-catch (YAC) numbers due to his ability to fight off single defenders and outrun the defense. Mims also showcased an occasional mean stiff arm in his arsenal. Mims shows a propensity to be a deep-threat wide receiver; however, his size and speed may lead to him often playing from the slot-receiver position in the NFL.

Numbers: Mims clocked an elite 4.38 forty-yard dash – a 39.5″ vertical jump – a 10’9” broad jump.

Draft day: Mims’ deep ball ability keeps him near the top of NFL GM’s draft boards. His size, athleticism, and ability to mix in reps at the slot position will help him get his name called sooner rather than later. The only knock on Mims, from the “experts,” is his size. Mims is listed as 5-foot, 11 inches and 180 pounds. Another thing that goes against him is the receiver depth available in this draft class… it’s loaded.

There could be anywhere from five to seven receivers drafted in the first round, and two of those receivers won the Biletnikoff Award (best WR in the nation). I see Mims landing in the mid-to-late-second round to early third round. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the 50 to the 80-pick range. Anywhere North of 50 or South of 80 would be shocking to me. Mims has a chance to make an early impact as a special teams player and a reliable fit in an offense as a WR2 – WR3 option.

Best fit(s): An ideal fit for Mims would be with the Buffalo Bills. The wide receiver depth in Buffalo is thin, and QB Josh Allen needs a secondary option opposite of Stefon Diggs. Mims fits the Buffalo offense’s scheme well and is a viable option on Buffalo’s draft board. Buffalo holds the 59th pick in the second round and the 91st pick in the third round, both spots that fit Mims’ projection range well.

Mims’ second likely landing spot could be with the Green Bay Packers. The Packer wide receiver depth needs to be improved. The starting wideouts in Green Bay are Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure… gold-star to the first person who can tell me who one of those guys are. Mims could get into Green Bay and be Jordan Love’s go-to wideout from day one of mini-camp. Green Bay holds the 45th pick in the second round. The only way I could see them not drafting Mims with it is because they possibly drafted another WR in the first round with their 15th overall pick. However, Green Bay is one of the only franchises I could see taking two wide receivers early in the draft because their wideout depth could be better.

The final promising spot I see Mims fitting in with is with the Washington Commanders. The Commanders hold the 47th pick in the second round and the 97th pick in the late third round. The Commanders’ wide receiver depth could be better, and I see the Commanders looking to draft a QB early. Mims would serve primarily as a special teams player with the Commanders early; however, I see him as a solid fit in Washington as a long-term option. Also, Mims’ slot ability would be utilized heavily in an Eric Bieniemy offense. Seeing how Mims fits with the Eric Bieniemy offense as a Tyreek Hill-type receiver would be exciting.

It will be strange not to see Marvin Mims playing on Owen field this season. He’s felt like a mainstay in Norman over the last three years. His highlight plays, and deep ball touchdowns will be greatly missed. But, like many other Sooners featured in this year’s draft spotlight series, Sooner Nation will continue to enjoy watching Marvin Mims, only now it’ll be on Sunday afternoons.