The Denver Broncos only had five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they needed to make them count. Will former Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims deliver as the Broncos’ highest-selected player in the 2023 class? What should the expectations be for Mims in Year 1?
Denver Broncos Offseason Less Eventful Than Expected at WR
It’s been an offseason of change for the Broncos, who traded for the rights to former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Payton will usher in a much-needed offensive revamp, but the offensive cast itself will be relatively similar to last year’s.
There were some additions in the offseason, of course. Mike McGlinchey will man the right tackle spot after signing with the Broncos in free agency, and fellow FA acquisition Ben Powers will presumably take hold of the left guard spot.
Things have changed in Denver, but one unit that stayed surprisingly static — given early expectations — was the receiving corps. At one point, it was theorized that one of either Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton was almost certain to be dealt in a trade. But as the summer approaches, both remain on the roster, along with a new complementary threat.
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Denver’s WR rotation is fairly deep. Tim Patrick could once again provide value if he can return to 100%, and K.J. Hamler is a dynamic speed threat. The Broncos also added Marquez Callaway from the Saints, a player with whom Payton is familiar. But the most intriguing Broncos WR, outside of the top two, is rookie Marvin Mims.
Mims, who just turned 21 years old in March, is coming off a two-season stretch at Oklahoma, across which he averaged over 20 yards per catch. In 2022, Mims erupted for 54 catches, 1,083 yards, and six touchdowns. In fact, over the course of his career, he found the end zone on over 16% of his receptions.
Mims’ stats make it clear that the Sooners product is a big-play threat. But just how will he fit with Payton and Russell Wilson in Year 1, and can he produce at a high clip right out of the gate?
Marvin Mims’ Vertical Ability Can Unlock Broncos Offense
Mims has a standard degree of versatility that lifts his floor within the Broncos’ scheme. He can play out of the slot or on the boundary, and he does have some separation ability in the short range.
And GM George Paton has lauded Mims for his noticeable toughness, saying, “The way he tracks the ball in the hands, the toughness in the run game for a guy who’s not that big. His transition after the catch on those screens. We just feel for his size, he’s really tough.”
But his verticality is what will provide the most distinct value early on.
At the NFL Combine, Mims tested with a blazing 4.38 40-yard dash, and he also logged a 39.5″ vertical and a 10’9″ broad jump at around 5’11”, 183 pounds, with near-32″ arms. There are times when Mims can better play to that speed, but it no doubt shows up — especially when he has a runway.
Mims has a unique brand of long-strider explosiveness for his size, and his long-limbed frame allows him to extend and snare deep passes with rare coordination and consistency. Mims has some of the most natural conversion skills in this class, but more importantly, he knows how to use his speed.
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Mims’ route tree, at the moment, is dominated by vertical concepts: Nine routes, stop-and-go’s, and deep posts. He has room to further refine that tree and fill it out at other levels, but he is a nuanced deep threat — not just a missile without a guidance system.
As Payton put it after the draft, “A lot of these receivers you felt were in rush-hour traffic Monday through Friday, and [Mims] looked like he was driving on Saturday and Sunday — he was open, and it was cleaner, and that’s because of his speed.”
Mims has great blind spot awareness working upfield, and he can also leave DBs lurching with brisk stride variations before exploding into space. That combined spatial awareness and flexibility allows him to maximize his explosive athleticism, and he’s also a high-level contortionist and hands-catcher when the ball comes his way.
The marriage of Payton and Russell Wilson is somewhat ironic. Payton is known for his West Coast offense that, while it implements vertical concepts, prioritizes high-percentage throws over the middle of the field and in the short-to-intermediate ranges. Wilson, meanwhile, is oft-maligned for his tendency to pass up easy completions and take 50/50 shots in off-script situations.
Mims can help Wilson be more comfortable with his own style by stressing defenses downfield and serving as a legitimate contested threat. But even when the ball doesn’t come Mims’ way, his pure speed can open up opportunities for Jeudy and Sutton, elongate the field, and give the offense more breathing room to work with across the board.
Mims Might Not Generate Elite Production Right Away, But His Presence Bears Weight
With Jeudy and Sutton still in tow, Mims might not be an elite producer right away, and he might not ever command top-end volume. Stylistically, he bears some similarity to former Giants standout Mario Manningham — a relatively streamlined, linear vertical threat who can at least manipulate DBs in space and capitalize with incredibly instinctive catching ability.
Manningham was 6’0″, 185 pounds, and had 32″ arms — a very similar frame and movement style to Mims, though Mims is visibly faster and more explosive as an athlete. With the Giants, Manningham maxed out with 944 yards and nine touchdowns in a strong 2010 season. He was a stellar complementary threat, who provided a distinct function downfield.
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If that’s the kind of receiving threat Mims becomes, that’s a win — but there’s reason to believe Mims’ ceiling is even higher. He hasn’t come close to his ceiling as a route runner, and his high-end catching instincts serve as a strong foundation wherever he sees the ball come his way. He also has some RAC potential in the short ranges with his explosiveness and short-area twitch.
With room to expand his route tree, Mims is a receiver who might specialize as a vertical threat early on before adding more elements to his game in Years 2 and 3. But nevertheless, his big-play ability will demand careful attention in 2023 — especially with a veteran QB who’s not shy about giving his WRs chances.
