New England Patriots 2020 Draft: Denzel Mims adds speed at receiver

Wide receiver Denzel Mims of Baylor is a big body with blazing speed who would be a great fit for the New England Patriots.

The New England Patriots need wide receiver speed and Denzel Mims would definitely bring that.

Pro Football Reference rates Denzel Mims of Baylor as their 17th rated wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft. NFL.com notes he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash time at 6’3″ and 207 pounds. Seems like Mims would bring a nice combination of speed and size to the New England receiving corps.

Pro Football Reference cites Mims as having caught 66 for 1020 yards and 12 TD’s for Baylor. Solid production. Analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com describes Mims this way:

More from Chowder and Champions

"Mims is a long-striding outside target with excellent height, weight and speed and an insane catch-radius. He’s a touchdown threat anytime he’s near the red zone, with the focus and body control to finesse and finish catches above the rim. He struggles to release and separate from physical press corners, and he doesn’t consistently compete and outwork opponents for positioning on contested catches. If the route work and intensity catch up with his natural athletic ability, he could become a dangerous “Z” receiver in a vertical offense, but the floor might be lower than some teams are comfortable with."

NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah in his mock draft updated March 12 has MIms slotted in at the 30th pick in the draft to Green Bay. As he notes:

"Mims has helped himself as much as any player in the draft during the spring, between his awesome Senior Bowl and outstanding combine."

Mims checks off a lot of boxes for the New England Patriots.

Speed. Size. Production. What’s not to like? And the New England Patriots, whose paucity of capable wideouts is nowhere better demonstrated than as Pro Football Reference notes that after Julian Edelman and his 100 catches, the next most productive wideout on the Patriots was Phillip Dorsett with a paltry 29 catches.

That fact and the lack of catches at the tight end position essentially doomed the Patriots chances of going to another Super Bowl last season.

Unfortunately, Mims skills will possibly as Daniel Jeremiah points out land him in the first round. To put it bluntly – the Patriots are not going to use their first round pick on another wide receiver in 2020.

dark. Next. New England Patriots 2020 NFL Draft: Tristan Wirfs a great solution at tackle

Their first venture into that draft territory under Bill Belichick was wide receiver N’Keal Harry with his 12 catches last season. Not a successful experiment. But … then again, never say never with the New England Patriots and the draft. Expect the unexpected – every time – and you won’t be disappointed!

Home/New England Patriots