This is the kind of statement that shows maturity beyond his years.
When the Cincinnati Bengals used the No. 18 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft on the Georgia Bulldog’s Amarius Mims, former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talked about the offensive tackle’s inability to stay healthy or available and how it could impact his career negatively.
“In the SEC Championship game, he played the first 15 plays of the game and he’s out — takes himself out,” Saban said, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I don’t know what he injured, what he hurt, whatever, but you gotta be a little more consistent if you’re going to be a great player and starting in the National Football League.”
The big knock on Mims heading into the draft is the fact he only started in eight games in his three-year college career. He also had some health concerns from what he calls a freak injury suffered to his ankle during the team’s game against South Carolina. The injury required a “Tightrope” surgery, but he was able to return just six weeks later. It’s the same injury he reaggravated during the SEC Championship game.
To his credit, the 21-year-old lineman didn’t respond with an emotional statement. He was level-headed and showed a maturity beyond his years.
“Everybody has their own opinions of me,” he said. “I don’t really care about what he said or what he had to say, honestly. I’m just glad to be a Cincinnati Bengal.”
He later added that he has a lot of respect for Saban and that he’s “one of the greatest college head coaches.”
The Bengals signed Trent Brown this offseason to play right tackle opposite Orlando Brown Jr., but he has had injury concerns in the past, and he’s only played more than 12 games in three of his seven seasons. Mims isn’t expected to start right away, but he will act as injury insurance and take reps in heavy sets.
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