If Cowboys like Cooks, they may love Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims, Jr. in 2023 draft
The Dallas Cowboys rare activity early on in free agency this offseason has thrown the draft process into a complete unknown for the Dallas Cowboy fanbase. What once seemed like a certainty, that the best corner or receiver available was going to be headed to the Cowboys at pick No. 26, is no longer that.
The additions of Stephon Gilmore on a one-year deal, but more precisely Brandin Cooks for an affordable two years, have changed the priority level. This could open the door for a Day 2 prospect like Marvin Mims to find a landing spot with the Cowboys.
Dallas still has a sneaky need at receiver. It isn’t a first-round priority any longer, but Michael Gallup is still an unknown, while Cooks and CeeDee Lamb both only have two years left on their deals. Beyond those three, the WR corps is completely unproven. Mims, the all-time leading receiver in high school football history with 5,485 yards, could be the guy Dallas pairs with Lamb for the future.
Mims, simply put, has always produced at high levels. As a high school senior he broke records bringing in 117 receptions for 2,629 yards, and 32 scores. As a college freshman he scored nine touchdowns while his QB had a rating of 139.5 when targeting Mims. As a sophomore he averaged 22 yards per reception, and in his junior year he put up an excellent season with 52 catches for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns.
Measurables, Stats, and Combine results
Listed Height: 5-foot-11
Listed Weight: 183 pounds
Games Played in 2022: 13
Jersey Number: 17
Impact Plays (2022): 6 touchdowns, 5 drops, 440 yards after catch (YAC), 8.1 YAC/Rec
Stat (20212): 54 receptions, 1,083 yards, 20.1 yards per reception
40-yard dash: 4.38 seconds
10-yard split: 1.55 seconds
Vertical Jump: 39.5″
Broad Jump: 10’9″
3-Cone Drill: 6.9 seconds
Relative Athletic Score: Comparison vs Cooks
Relative Athletic Scores, by Kent Lee Platte
Film Study Information
Games Watched: Texas Tech (2021), Tulane (2021) Kent State (2022), Oklahoma State (2022)
Best Game: Kent State (2022)
Worst Game: Oklahoma State (2022)
Film Vs Tulane (2021)
Film Vs Texas Tech (2021)
Vs. Texas Tech (2022)
Strengths
Mims is excellent at creating big plays. He is terrific at gaining vertical leverage on deep routes to set up easier throws for his quarterback. On 50/50 balls, Mims is one of the best in CFB at going up and snagging a pass at the top of the catch point.
Mims might not have the best route tree diversity, but to complement his ability in the vertical pass game, he is great at taking screens and crosses for big plays with his YAC ability.
Weaknesses
The abilities Mims has shown in high school and college may not be as impactful at the NFL level. Would a player like Dez Bryant work at a height of only 5-foot-11, and a weight of 184 pounds? Bryant was the type of player Mims has been at Oklahoma. Take a short pass to the house or go take a deep ball out of the opposing corner’s hands for a 50-plus-yard TD.
What would Mims do against a tackler like Jalen Ramsey or Sauce Gardner at his smaller size and what impact would that have on his total game if he couldn’t break tackles at the NFL level? Would Mims height and lack of wingspan keep him from being a great receiver on deep passes by limiting his ability at the catch point? It is much more difficult to pull off those plays against the levels of athletes that play corner in the NFL.
Mims could have his issues because he wasn’t asked to do much else at Oklahoma. His routes aren’t crisp, and he doesn’t understand the nuances of running them.
Fit with the Cowboys
Mims fits with new play caller, head coach Mike McCarthy. In Green Bay McCarthy used a West CoastOffense that leaned on short timing passes that enabled his receivers to break big plays themselves. Mims has been the best receiver at doing that in high school and possibly college over the last four years.
Most years, Dallas might not be in on a receiver this size, but Mims is a bigger prospect than most at the position this year and he plays his game with the mentality of a 6-foot-2, 220-pound player.
Lamb will likely be in Dallas for the long haul and plays mostly out of the slot. Mims is an outside, vertical pass game type who has big playmaking ability, and fits with the other young stud at WR for the future.
