When the New York Jets drafted Denzel Mims out of Baylor with the 59th overall pick, they were looking for a potential No. 1 wide receiver who can help Sam Darnold in the passing game. After losing Robbie Anderson in free agency, supplementing his departure was essential, and Mims fits the bill perfectly.
On the “The Last Stand Podcast” with Brian Cluster, Mims’s former coach Matt Rhule advocated for the Baylor standout. Rhule previously was the head coach for Baylor, having plenty of experience with Deznel on offense and seeing first-hand what he is capable of at the NFL level.
“I grew up in that area, and I know one thing about Jets’ fans: They want toughness,†Rhule said on the podcast. “They want someone who’s going to compete. They want grinders and workers, and that’s what Denzel is… He’s not going to be some guy who’s all about the headlines. He’s a worker.â€
It takes a special player to excel in New York, considering the media attention and negativity that is constantly swirling in the air. The media will always try and find a way to slander players and put them down after a bad performance. One bad game can significantly hurt a player’s state of mine, but Mims is in a great position to take advantage of developmental time and a solid young quarterback in Darnold.
Mims is bringing speed, consistency, and toughness at the wide receiver position. His 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL combine was solic, and at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, he has the ideal size to contest balls in the air and remain physical at the line of scrimmage.
His ability as a route runner is exciting and promotes an uptick in efficiency for the Jets on offense. In addition, he is a willing blocker in the run game and puts his body on the line to help expand the field. Le’Veon Bell will undoubtedly benefit from his proactive approach. While dropped passes were a big issue for Mims at Baylor, he cut his total down significantly in 2019.
His issue of dropped passes is way overblown, as he posted an 11.4% drop rate in his career, but cut down that number to 4.3% in 2019, dropping just five passes. In comparison to players like Ceedee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy, he ranked better than both in the category.