A run on defensive players has come to an end. The Bengals have become the latest team to select an offensive lineman, drafting Georgia tackle Amarius Mims.
The Bengals bid farewell to four-year starter (and 2023 right tackle) Jonah Williams this offseason, and while they used free agency to bring in a stopgap, Mims profiles as a long-term solution opposite left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Mims’ frame only adds to the Bengals’ historic dimensions at this position. While Orlando Brown goes 6-foot-8, 345 pounds, presumptive bridge RT option Trent Brown is listed at 6-8, 370. Mims checks in at 6-7, 340.
Mims served as a backup to begin his collegiate career, but he was inserted into the lineup late in the 2022 campaign, starting in a College Football Playoff game and the team’s second straight national championship game victory. He finally had a chance to start full time in 2023, but after three starts, Mims suffered a high ankle sprain and was forced to undergo tightrope surgery. It would take nine weeks for Mims to finally get back on the field. Following his return, Mims end up exiting his team’s loss in the SEC championship game.
Considering Mims’ lack of starting experience and eventual injury concerns, he profiled as one of the bigger question marks heading into tonight’s draft. There aren’t many examples of offensive tackles with so little starting experience being drafted so highly, but that obviously wasn’t enough to stop a team like the Bengals from gambling on his upside.
Mims certainly has the physical attributes to succeed in the NFL. The Bengals did bring in Trent Brown this offseason to line up on the opposite side of the line from 2023 LT signee Orlando Brown, so the Bengals may not need to lean on their first-round rookie right away. However, considering the frequency of NFL injuries, it shouldn’t be long before Mims gets his number called.