Jonathan Mingo NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6′-2″
Weight: 220 pounds
School: Ole Miss
2023 NFL Draft: Jonathan Mingo Scouting Report
After spending the past four seasons at Ole Miss, Jonathan Mingo has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. Mingo is coming off what is easily the best season of his career, hauling in 51 receptions for 861 yards and five touchdowns. This includes an incredible 247-yard performance against Vanderbilt, which set an Ole Miss record for the most receiving yards in a single game.
Jonathan Mingo originally joined Ole Miss back in 2019. The four-star recruit played sparingly as a true freshman, recording 12 receptions for 172 yards and one touchdown. In eight games in 2020, he recorded 27 receptions for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Injuries limited him to just six games in 2021, but Mingo still managed to record 22 receptions for 346 yards and three touchdowns during his limited time on the field.
Strengths
- Contested catch champion with the size for that skill to translate to the pros;
- Reliable route runner with sound footwork – doesn’t waste steps;
- Tough to take down – will break tackles and pick up extra yards;
- Could be a dangerous weapon in the red zone;
- Fantastic athletic testing numbers imply untapped potential;
- Willing and powerful run blocker.
Weaknesses
- Does not separate – lives his life with a defender on his hip;
- Late declare with only one season of above-average production;
- Lacks explosion after the catch – defenders will catch up to him;
- Does not play nearly as fast as his testing times imply;
- No explosion out of his breaks.
NFL Comparison: DeVante Parker
Teams With Need at Position: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
Projection: 4th-5th Round
Bottom Line on Jonathan Mingo
Jonathan Mingo will have a role in the NFL, but it probably won’t be a big one. The 6′-2″, 220-pound receiver is bigger than just about every cornerback he’ll ever face, and he knows how to use that size to his advantage. He can box out defenders, high-point the football, and is one of those guys that is never truly covered. This skill doesn’t always translate, as NFL defenders are bigger and stronger than their collegiate counterparts, but Mingo is so big that he could be the exception to the rule.
His massive frame also makes him a problem after the catch. While he’s not the type of guy that can turn a five-yard gain into 50 yards, it is insanely hard for a single defensive back to bring him down. Mingo breaks tackles on a frequent basis, making him ideal for turning short-yardage screens into intermediate gains. Additionally, while his game tape doesn’t always show it, his athletic testing was phenomenal, which implies that there is some untapped potential here.
If Mingo hones into his athleticism, perhaps he becomes a draft steal. However, historically speaking, that isn’t very likely. In terms of his actual tape, Mingo runs crisp routes, but he lacks the speed to leave cornerbacks in his dust. Because of this, defenders are basically attached to him at the hip, which means that every throw in his direction becomes a tight window throw.
Additionally, from an analytics standpoint, Jonathan Mingo’s NFL Draft profile is a major red flag. Generally speaking, the best professional receivers are the ones that dominated throughout college and declared early for the NFL Draft. Mingo is a Senior with only one year of impressive production, which is obviously not ideal. There is a chance that Mingo is an exception to the rule, but betting on outliers is a great way to go broke.
Ultimately, Jonathan Mingo is probably best suited as a depth receiver at the next level. While he shouldn’t be a starter, he can help out in three- or four-receiver sets, making his living as a jump ball and short-yardage specialist capable of picking up hard-to-gain yards in crucial situations.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
