Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims declares as expected first-round pick…
Amarius Mims, an offensive tackle for Georgia, told ESPN that he will forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Mims participated in seven games at right tackle for the Bulldogs during his injury-plagued final collegiate season, but he was not present for Georgia’s 63-3 victory over No. 5 Florida State in the Orange Bowl to end the season.
Despite having little game experience, Mims was selected to the Preseason All-SEC First Team at right tackle. He led Georgia’s offensive line in the team’s opening two games. During the conference opener against South Carolina, he sustained an ankle injury that necessitated surgery and kept him out of action for six weeks. He made a comeback on November 11 against Ole Miss, but he had to shut things down after aggravating his injury in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama.
“The first thing on my mind was, ‘Did I play enough?’ Mims told ESPN. “I felt like after I got back late in the year, I took a step forward with my play, as Tennessee and Georgia Tech were the two best games I played this year.”
During his three seasons with the Bulldogs, Mims participated in thirty games in all, but he mostly served as a reserve prior to Georgia’s 2022 College Football Playoff run. Due to regular starter Warren McClendon’s MCL injury, Mims started in his team’s semifinal victory over Ohio State and returned to the field for Georgia’s crushing of TCU in the national championship game.
Mims’ draft stock
The 2024 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded with elite offensive tackle prospects, but Mims projects right up there with the best. He might be the No. 4 tackle in CBS Sports’ 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, behind the likes of All-Americans Olu Fashanu and Joe Alt, but he’s No. 13 overall on the big board — putting him well within the early first round conversation.
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards projected Mims to the Green Bay Packers with the No. 12 pick in his latest mock draft.
“Green Bay made the move from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love over the past year. The next big change is swapping out David Bakhtiari for Amarius Mims.” Edwards wrote.
The primary concern with Mims is his limited playing time. He didn’t become a full-time starter until 2023 and even then he was only able to start six games. He has just eight starts in his entire career. But a 6-foot-8 and 330-pound frame is alluring and he’s shown some elite traits in his finite opportunities; Mims has allowed just five pressures with zero sacks in 365 total pass block snaps.
What it means for Georgia
Mims is an immense talent — literally — but offensive line losses don’t seem to bother Georgia too much. The Bulldogs had both of their starting offensive tackles drafted in 2023 and still boasted one of this year’s best offensive lines, with Mims and co. stepping in seamlessly despite the attrition.
But if another draft declaration goes their way, Kirby Smart’s team will benefit greatly. If he wishes to return, 6-foot-7 colossus Xavier Truss, who started at right tackle during Mims’ absence this season, has one more year of eligibility. He would undoubtedly fill the void left by Mims, but after five years in college, he may be ready for a change of pace.
Chad Lindberg, a fourth-year junior, hasn’t started many games, but he has participated in more than 20 and has been with the team long enough to matter if Truss decides to go with Mims. The Bulldogs have some intriguing younger options, such as true freshmen Monroe Freeling and Bo Hughley, who were previously ranked in the top 100, and an offensive line class that includes four four-star prospects entering in 2024.
In the event that Georgia desires additional experience, the transfer portal remains an option. It’s safe to say that UGA will have plenty of options to replace Mims, though Truss seems to be the front-runner and his possible exit could make things more difficult for the staff to figure out.