New York Jets rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims has a fan in Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule after their time in Baylor together.
Former Baylor and current Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule knows New York Jets rookie Denzel Mims as well as anyone in the NFL. Rhule coached Mims at Baylor and spoke with Al Iannazzone of Newsday about the dynamic wideout.
“Jets fans are going to love him,” Rhule told Iannazzone.
Many Jets fans have already fallen in love with Mims after his unexpected draft-day fall. They couldn’t believe that a receiver with a first-round grade fell all the way to the bottom of the second round. Jets fans feel like they got one of the steals of the draft. Rhule highlighted Mims’ ability late in games.
“He’s a clutch player,” Rhule said. “He’s someone who goes out there and when it really counts makes big plays.”
Mims showed his flair for the dramatic in a huge game against TCU in 2019. He scored both of Baylor’s overtime touchdowns to win that game after Jeff Gladney kept him silent most of the day. That game was seemingly an exception though.
Those two touchdowns were the only ones Mims had in the fourth quarter or later all season. In total Mims only had 12 receptions for 179 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter all year. That breaks down to 0.9 receptions, 13.8 yards per receptions, and 0.2 TDs per fourth quarter. Those aren’t the clutch stats that most Jets fans were expecting.
That wasn’t the only praise Rhule had for Mims though. According to the former Baylor head coach, Mims is an “unbelievably tough, hard-working guy.”
This is true. Mims has been praised by a number of scouts, myself included, for his physicality. He loves to block and his ability to catch 50-50 balls was arguably the best in his class.
Mims will not shy away from a challenge on the field in the passing or running game. That fight is exactly what the Jets need and fans will love.
