As the Ravens head into the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll take a more detailed look at the top players projected to Baltimore with pick No. 30.
Today, we’ll kick off the series with Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims:
Why He Makes Sense:
The Ravens clearly have a need at offensive tackle and Mims has all the tools to be a premier one. He’s huge, standing at 6-foot-7 and six inches and 340 pounds. Taking into account height and weight, he’s the biggest lineman in the draft. He has an incredible wingspan that helps him keep defenders at bay.
Mims is particularly strong in pass protection. He gave up zero sacks, zero hits, and just six hurries during his college career, according to Pro Football Focus. He had the second-best pass blocking efficiency in college football last year. Mims played right tackle exclusively throughout his time at Georgia, but with his tools, he should be able to also play left tackle in the NFL.
Why He Could Make It to No. 30:
Mims started only eight games during his college career, so it’s an incomplete sample size. Evaluating how Mims will do in the NFL requires more of a projection than some of the other top offensive tackles. Part of that is because of injuries. He missed six games as a junior because of a left ankle injury and exited the 2023 SEC Championship early with an ankle injury. A hamstring injury limited his pre-draft workouts at the Combine and his pro day.
What the Scouting Pundits Are Saying:
“Overall, Mims isn’t as far along fundamentally (especially in the run game) as other tackles in the class, but he is a natural in pass protection with above-average length, footwork and body twitch to handle different types of edge rushers. Though there is projection involved with his draft grade, his best football is ahead of him, and he has the talent to become a long-term starter at left or right tackle.” – Dane Brugler, The Athletic
“Talented tackle prospect carrying a picturesque frame and exciting NFL traits. Mims plays with pretty good technique and is ahead of the game with hand placement. He has the size and bend to create movement and adequate athleticism to make blocks on the move, although he can be inconsistent in that area. He uses a two-hand punch that causes him to lunge forward a bit, but that should be correctable. It is very rare to see him clearly beaten by a rusher, and he has the recovery talent to do something about it when it happens. Mims has more development to go, but he’s a Day 1 prospect with the traits and talent to be considered at either tackle position. He has a high ceiling, but questions due to his lack of experience could temper early expectations.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
“It’s hard to believe how the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Mims can sit down in his stance and run to cover ground. He also has elite length for the position. While his physical potential is through the roof, he lacks experience. He played only 682 snaps over the past two seasons with just eight starts, due to biding his time at a talented program and injury in 2023. He is a strong player who can maintain blocks well with good upper-body strength. Mims is more smooth than he is truly explosive as an athlete, which takes away some of his punch at contact. His feet are also a bit slow in pass protection, which can cause some clunky kick backs and oversetting.” – Pro Football Focus