The New York Jets needed to get a wide receiver in this draft, and when they traded down from the 48th pick with the Seattle Seahawks to the 59th pick in the second round, it did not seem like they would get one.
But Baylor's Denzel Mims somehow slipped through the cracks and landed in the Jets' laps with the 59th pick in an absolute steal.
Mims was considered by some to be a borderline first-round talent, but instead was the 13th wide receiver taken — a record for the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Yet, he gives Gang Green a much-needed weapon for quarterback Sam Darnold after losing Robby Anderson to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Mims, a 6-foot-3 reciver with 4.3 speed, has the opportunity to claim the No. 1 wide receiver spot in a receiving corps that also includes Jamison Crowder and Bashaud Perriman. He had 66 catches for 1,020 yards and 12 TDs with Baylor in 2019, but his time was also plagued by drops — 24 in three seasons — which may have played a role in why teams were wary of Mims.
On a conference call Friday night, Mims admitted he was upset that he dropped in the draft, but he was also clear he is ready for the challenge ahead with the Jets.
"There's always been a chip on my shoulder. I've been underrated my whole life," he said. "When it comes down to crunch time...I want everything on me, on my shoulders."
Jets general manager Joe Douglas explained that the reason he traded back was that there was "still enough players we were excited about."
Mims was obviously among those, and Douglas explained what he likes about the receiver.
"He's a long, smooth receiver, great body, big catch radius, soft hands," he said. "The ability to turn the short catch into long touchdown runs."