How Denzel Mims could thrive in the Eagles’ offense

Previously in profiling how 2020 NFL Draft wide receiver prospects fit with the Philadelphia Eagles — Jerry Jeudy | Henry Ruggs III | CeeDee Lamb | Tee Higgins | Justin Jefferson | Laviska Shenault | KJ Hamler. Today we’re looking at Denzel Mims.

Denzel Mims’ stock has been on the rise leading up to the draft. Despite being buried in a deep class, the Baylor playmaker has aced this offseason and is potentially poised to be taken in the first 20 picks of the first round. It’s hard not to see why teams are enamored with the senior pass catcher. The 6’3”, 207 pounder ran a stunning 4.38 40 yard dash, an insane 6.66 second three cone and then jumped 131” inches in the broad jump. Already we are talking about a rare athlete who combines size, explosiveness and agility. Then factor in Mims’ senior season where he caught FIFTY PERCENT of Baylor’s touchdowns. That is a ridiculous level of production and far above any of his fellow wide receivers. Needless to say, Mims checks a lot of boxes to be considered a first round pick.

The biggest question mark with Mims is consistency. Even though he produced a ridiculous amount at Baylor last year, there is a nagging sense he could have dominated even more. Mims would have moments where he looked like the best player on the field followed by long stretches where he disappeared. It is incredibly important to note, however, that Mims reportedly played a whole season with a broken hand and that likely affected how dominant he could be. It’s also noteworthy that he could play through that sort of injury at all. Mims’ upside is a dominant outside receiver who can burn cornerbacks down field and play above the rim in contested situations. His athleticism on the ground also makes him a YAC threat who can play in the slot as well.

Mims’ short-term outlook in Philadelphia is a bit more complicated because he is the type of player who is going to be flashy in his first season, but really take off in year two and three. Mims can frustrate with drops and other technical inconsistencies, but if the Eagles ride with him and keep giving him opportunities to play through mistakes (the exact opposite of what they did last year with JJ Arcega-Whiteside), they have a chance to develop a special player. Mims could start outside in year one and the Eagles should try to get him involved early to build his confidence. If Mims can slowly mitigate mistakes and keep winning match-ups in his signature fashion, the Eagles could end up with the best receiver in the class. Mims shooting up the boards is because his ceiling is arguably as high as anyone’s in the class. If the Eagles decide to pull the trigger on Mims, they will need to be patient with his development and commit to getting him involved early in his career. Lumps and all.