Cowboys draft 2023 scouting report: Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims

A continuing series of scouting reports for potential Cowboys draft picks.

Name: Marvin Mims
Position: WR
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 183 pounds

Combine Results: 4.38 40-yard dash, 39.5” vertical, 10’9” broad, 6.9 3-cone drill

Born in Frisco, Texas, Marvin Mims was more than just a talented Texas high school football player. His 5,485 career receiving yards while playing for Lone Star High School is the record for any Texas high school football player. That’s a big part of why the four-star recruit had offers to play almost anywhere. In the end, though, Mims opted to play for the Sooners in Norman.

Mims caught on fast, topping 600 yards with nine touchdowns (a program record for a freshman) as a true freshman. He led the team in receiving that year, an impressive feat. Mims led the Sooners in receiving yards the next year as well, topping 700, and establishing himself as one of the best receivers in the Big 12.

That still wasn’t enough for Mims, who was on the verge of transferring to a school that would feature him more prominently in the passing game. But when head coach (and offensive playcaller) Lincoln Riley left for the USC job, Mims chose to stick around for the new staff. He ended up having his most productive year, topping 1,000 yards, and is now in good position to be a Day 2 pick in the draft.

Route Running: Mims is one of the best route runners in this draft. He’s exceptional at adjusting his routes to the coverage he’s facing, especially against zone coverage. Mims recognizes the zone concepts and knows how to break off his routes to occupy the gaps. He’s especially talented at winning on vertical routes, setting up defenders early in the route before exploding down the field.

Hands: Mims has inconsistent hands, at times bobbling the pass or turning into a body catcher, but he generally makes the catch. His four drops in 2022 were the most he’s ever had in a season, and he still had one of the lowest drop rates in the nation. His hands aren’t as reliable as they could be, but it’s rarely a problem.

Playmaking Ability: He is a playmaker through and through. He averaged over 20 yards per catch in each of the last two seasons despite a high volume of targets. He is a deep ball specialist, tallying the fourth most receptions of 20 yards or more while averaging a ridiculous 34.9 yards in average depth of target on deep throws. Mims is more than just a deep ball playmaker, but he’s especially good at stretching defenses vertically.

Release: The type of offense that Oklahoma runs naturally provides a lot of free releases for its receivers, and Mims’ verticality only added to that. There aren’t too many examples of him going against press coverage, but he has the route running and athleticism to win in a variety of ways without being moved to a slot-only role.

Run After Catch: If it weren’t for his prowess as a deep threat, Mims’ ability after the catch would be his best trait. His opportunities were limited because so many of his targets came downfield, but he is incredibly adept as a runner after the catch. He averaged 8.1 yards after the catch per reception in 2022, second best among this class. That makes him a dangerous weapon all over the field, and not just a deep threat guy.

Blocking: Mims has too slight of a frame to really hold up well as a blocker, and he also had limited exposure in such a role for much of his time at Oklahoma. The majority of his blocking reps came on screens, where his job is more getting in the way than it is to actually block. He shouldn’t be relied upon for many blocking reps, and that may be a convincing argument for keeping him on the outside, where he primarily played in college.

Versatility: He was an outside receiver for the Sooners, but he does have the ability to work as a slot receiver. Many of his slot alignment snaps came with him as a motion man. He also had experience as a punt returner in college, and could see reps there in the NFL.

Size: Mims is short and thin, but still above the threshold most scouts use as a minimum for receivers. Some will think he’s a slot option based on his size, but he is most comfortable out wide, and he plays with physicality uncommon for his frame.

Intangibles: Mims is a fierce competitor who never shies away from getting physical with defenders, routinely fighting for extra yards. He plays way bigger than he measured in at, which is the kind of fiery attitude NFL coaches love to see.

Here is the player profile of Mims from former BTB’er Connor Livesay. Click here if you want details to get the full draft guy (highly recommended).