Patriots draft profile: Amarius Mims is a boom-or-bust prospect at left tackle

The Georgia product projects as a first-round draft pick.

The New England Patriots’ needs on the offensive side of the ball are many, and they cannot all be addressed in the first round of the upcoming draft. That does not mean the team is not in a position to possibly acquire additional first-round talent even if it makes a selection — see: quarterback — at No. 3 overall.

One player to watch in that regard is offensive tackle Amarius Mims. While highly regarded due to his size and athletic traits, a lack of experience might cause the Georgia product to slide into New England’s potential trade-up range.

And if that happens, the team might just be tempted to swing big and climb up the board.

Hard facts

Name: Amarius Mims

Position: Offensive tackle

School: Georgia

Opening day age: 21 (10/14/2002)

Measurements: 6’7 3/4”, 340 lbs, 86 3/4” wingspan, 36 1/8” arm length, 11 1/4” hand size, 5.07s 40-yard dash, 25 1/2” vertical jump, 9’3” broad jump, 9.59 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Career statistics: 30 games (8 starts) | 803 offensive snaps, 130 special teams snaps | 6 quarterback pressures surrendered (6 hurries)

Accolades: N/A

A highly-regarded offensive tackle prospect already during hit time at Bleckley County High School in Cochran, GA, Mims was ranked a five-star recruit in 2021 and considered one of the top recruits in the country. He received scholarship offers from several power five schools before eventually committing to Georgia, where he ended up spending three years.

Mims saw minor action as a true freshman, which prompted him to enter the transfer portal after the season. He eventually withdrew his name to stay put, and steadily increased his role. He remained a top backup in his sophomore campaign, but saw his first two career starts that year — both coming in the College Football Playoff. The following year, he succeeded first-round draft pick Broderick Jones as the Bulldogs’ right tackle.

Mims started the first three games of his junior year, but an ankle forced him to sit out six games. He returned later in the year, and started three more contests before opting out of the Orange Bowl. He later announced he would not return for his senior season and instead enter the NFL Draft.

Draft profile

Expected round: 1 | Consensus big board: No. 23 | Patriots meeting: N/A

Strengths: Mims more than fulfills the size requirements for an NFL starting left tackle and is the complete package in terms of build and length. In fact, he ranks in the 90-plus percentile in several categories: his combination of height (91), weight (94), wingspan (97), arm length (95), and hand size (97) is rare and gives him a tremendous foundation to build on.

Despite his massive frame, Mims moves exceptionally well. He has the foot speed to execute efficient kick slides that cover plenty of ground, and is also able to reach open space target areas without much effort. His body control also allows him to play a well-balanced game both against power and when forced to play down to bending edge rushers. Due to his length and the ground he covers, defenders have a hard time running the loop around him without also neutralizing themselves in the process.

His mobility is complemented by some raw power. Mims has a firm grip and keeps his feet working through contact as a drive blocker in the running game; once engaged defenders have a hard time getting free or not ending up on the ground. He also plays with a stout anchor, and driving him back is a challenge.

Weaknesses: In three years at Georgia, Mims was on the field for merely 803 offensive snaps — 359 of them in the eight games he started during his college career. He has only 12 games of 30-plus snaps on his résumé. His lack of experience makes him more of a projection than other members of this year’s offensive tackle class, especially considering that all of his game reps came on the right side. He is still growing and learning, and the jump from minimal starter to NFL blindside protector will be a sizable one.

His lack of experience also shows up on tape. He is sometimes not quick enough to react to inside moves and counters, and needs to get better at keeping his leverage both as a pass protector and in open space: he sometimes plays too high for his own good, a result of his natural length that he needs to learn how to counteract effectively.

In addition, Mims struggled with injuries in 2023. Not only did he miss six games due to a left ankle injury last season that required surgery, he also had to exit the SEC Championship Game against Alabama after only his 11th snap due to another ankle issue.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Despite playing right tackle in college, Mims has the makings of a starting-caliber left tackle at the pro level. He would fill that role in New England right away, and possibly even compete for starter reps as a rookie. While there are arguments against giving him prominent snaps early on due to his absence of experience, his undeniable physical talent should allow him to hold his own right away.

What is his growth potential? If Mims reaches his potential and is able to stay healthy, he will hold down the fort at left tackle for years to come. His upside is immense, even though the road to get there is a long and possibly difficult one to travel.

Does he have positional versatility? Given his college history, Mims brings left/right flexibility to the offensive tackle position; he also played some tight end in high school. Realistically, however, he will fill only two roles at the next level: starting tackle, either on the left or the right (although preferably the former) as well as protector on field goal attempts and extra point tries.

Why the Patriots? At the moment, the Patriots’ left tackle depth chart is led by Chukwuma Okorafor. While the free agency pickup has played high-quality snaps before, he is on a one-year contract and lacks the high ceiling and long-term potential Mims would bring to the table. If he works out — which is admittedly a gamble the team would have to feel comfortable taking with a premium pick — New England would not have to worry about its left tackle spot for several years.

Why not the Patriots? Given the state of their left tackle spot, the Patriots might prefer to go after prospects with a higher floor even if it means investing in a lower ceiling as well. In addition, Mims simply might not be around by the time New England is on the clock: he is projected to be picked in the early 20s, which might mean a trade up from No. 34 might be needed to bring him aboard.

One-sentence verdict: Mims may be a boom-or-bust prospect at left tackle, but there is no denying that he offers some elite tools and an enticing outlook.

What do you think about Amarius Mims as a potential Patriots target? Will they be in a position to pick him? Is he too risky to be brought in? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.