Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia (Junior)
Rayane M
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Strengths :
- Powerful
- Age
- NFL-ready physique
- Very good punch
- Hands placement
- Leverage
- Good vision
- Technically promising
- Good athlete
Weaknesses :
-
- Imbalance
- Footwork
- Extensive injury history
- Sometimes slow hands
- Still needs to refine his game
OT Amarius Mims
— Rayane M (@RayaneScout) January 1, 2024
Just turned 21, Amarius already has a body built for the NFL at 6'7, 340lbs he's colossal yet he moves with frightening ease for his size.
If Mims is still Raw on some points, his ceiling could be one of the highest of the OT batch
2nd Round Talent 🛠 pic.twitter.com/HGYcieYWks
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Another aspect that becomes even more apparent in pass protection is his good game vision. I've noted several impressive reps where he effectively blocks his initial opponent before quickly identifying a blitz and properly picking it up. Another strong point for Mims.
Other strong points in Mims' game, evident in both run and pass situations, include a very good punch. Even with just one arm, he can sometimes shock a defender with his punch. In addition to his punching ability, Amarius also generally has good hand placement. While it may not be extraordinary, it is still of very high quality.
Lastly, what surprised me about Mims, given his large size, is his good leverage, especially for his height.
Lastly, what surprised me about Mims, given his large size, is his good leverage, especially for his height.
What, then, are the weaknesses in Amarius Mims' game?
One weakness is his imbalance during run blocking. Mims can tend to overcommit forward due to his natural strength, leading to imbalance as he gets carried away by this force. As mentioned in the strengths, while Amarius often maintains a good base in pass protection, he can quickly become unbalanced in run situations if he's not careful.
Another point I briefly mentioned in the strengths section is Mims' tendency, which concerns me, to lower his head during some blocking engagements at the point of impact, especially in run situations which require offensive linemen to engage defenders. You know how much I dislike seeing this in a player, across all positions, but particularly in an offensive lineman, because it gives the defender an opportunity to make a play as the offensive lineman loses sight of him for a brief moment, not to mention the risk of injury. This is definitely an area that needs work.
Still in run situations, Amarius will also need to be careful not to rush into his blocks. Specifically, on zone run plays, Amarius sometimes tries to move to the second level too quickly before securing the initial block. His eyes fix on the player he aims to block at the second level, and it's often at this moment that he fails to place his hands properly on the first player and can let them slip by too easily.
Mims' footwork will also need to be monitored, as he can sometimes have the tendency to stop moving his legs once engaged in a block, which can put him in a difficult position, especially when the initial part of the block was executed correctly.
While he has a good punch, as previously mentioned, it's important to note that his hands can sometimes be slow to engage. These so-called slow hands mean Amarius will need to stay focused if he faces a player with quick, explosive, and aggressive hand moves because his delayed hand engagement can sometimes put Mims in difficult situations.
Finally, a point of concern with Mims that requires close monitoring is his injury history. In his two seasons as a starter, Amarius hasn’t completed a full season, which is really something to consider given how prone the offensive lineman position can be to injuries in the NFL. Moreover, his muscle injury after running the 40-yard dash at the combine did not reassure me.
While he has a good punch, as previously mentioned, it's important to note that his hands can sometimes be slow to engage. These so-called slow hands mean Amarius will need to stay focused if he faces a player with quick, explosive, and aggressive hand moves because his delayed hand engagement can sometimes put Mims in difficult situations.
Finally, a point of concern with Mims that requires close monitoring is his injury history. In his two seasons as a starter, Amarius hasn’t completed a full season, which is really something to consider given how prone the offensive lineman position can be to injuries in the NFL. Moreover, his muscle injury after running the 40-yard dash at the combine did not reassure me.
As I mentioned in the introduction of this scouting report, Amarius Mims is indeed a product of the UGA factory, as we've seen over the past three seasons. Overwhelmingly powerful, with an NFL-ready physique and sufficiently mobile for the modern offensive game. While he may not be the most technically refined tackle in the draft, he is certainly one of the most promising.
With his natural power, above-average size, and appealing athleticism for his build, Amarius already has many attractive qualities. Adding to this, his age is an interesting factor, having just turned 21 and will be 22 in October, along with his overall performance, which is decent and sometimes even good, it's clear there is substantial potential to work with him over the medium term.
Now, while it's true that Amarius Mims is seen by many as a player with extremely interesting potential due to all these factors, his qualities in pass protection and run blocking also provide a solid foundation that should ensure, at the very least, a strong starting role on an NFL line.
While I view Amarius more as an early second-round talent, I wouldn't be surprised overall to see him selected in the first round despite his injury history.
While I view Amarius more as an early second-round talent, I wouldn't be surprised overall to see him selected in the first round despite his injury history.
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The most impressive aspect of all this is that Amarius possesses all these qualities, yet we're not talking about a 24-year-old or even a 23-year-old player. On the contrary, he just celebrated his 21st birthday, meaning he will only turn 22 late in his rookie season, which promises a very interesting potential for development.
For instance, he can create significant movement on the Line of Scrimmage (LoS) in run plays due to his immense power but also thanks to good explosiveness on his takeoff, even though he often lowers his head in power run situations, which is something we'll get back to later.