Steelers draft profile: Amarius Mims (Offensive tackle, Georgia)

Could the Steelers take a Georgia OT in the first round for the second straight year?

Approaching the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

The Steelers have shown a lot of pre-draft interest in Amarius Mims. Could Pittsburgh take a Georgia offensive tackle in the first round for the second straight year?

The basics on Amarius Mims

• Position: Right tackle
• Class: Junior (Georgia)
• Size: 6’8, 340 pounds
• Age: 21 years old
• Projected draft round: Round 1

Amarius Mims scouting report

Amarius Mims’ size pops off the screen. At 6’8, 340 pounds, he’s a gargantuan, lengthy tackle. But his athletic profile is just as impressive.

Yup, that’s a 5.07-second 40-yard dash at 340 pounds. Mims is unfairly athletic for his size. He’s sometimes a little lumbering when he moves — try being 6’8 and not lumbering — but there’s little denying that Mims is one of the highest-upside players in this year’s draft.

In pass protection, Mims shows a solid first step off the line and the athleticism to take a pass-rusher up the arc. I also like the power to finish off the rep (Mims is the right tackle in every clip, No. 65 in every game except vs. Tennessee, where he wore No. 77).

It’s worth noting that Mims has insanely long, 36-inch arms, and they pack a punch. It isn’t his best play below, but it just takes one arm to throw the blitzing defender off the play long enough for the quarterback to throw.

Mims’ arms and size in general give him an elite blocking radius, but he doesn’t always use it to full effect. Sometimes he just shoots both arms out in front of him, which provides a strong initial punch, but leaves him vulnerable to inside moves from quicker rushers.

In the run game, Mims’ size gives him an innate advantage. I never saw him give ground, and his powerful frame often moved defensive linemen with ease.

However, at times Mims’ height resulted in some leverage issues, and at other times he blocks with too much forward lean, ending up on the ground. In the below play, he gets the job done, but can’t stay on his feet.

Some other issues pop up as well; Mims doesn’t have any athletic issues, but his pulling and second-level blocking left a lot to be desired, with the tackle rarely connecting on blocks in space (although when he does — look out). His footwork can also slow after initial contact.

That same problem can show up in Mims’ run-blocking, resulting in subpar leg drive.

But most of the time, it was just fun to watch the incredibly huge and athletic Mims nullify pass-rushers on the right side of the line. There’s a reason why Georgia’s offense was better with Mims in the lineup — he’s a good prospect.

But there’s a reason why a player with All-Pro potential like Mims could fall into the Steelers’ draft range. Mims is raw and lacking in experience, with just eight career starts at Georgia. He’s also dealt with injuries, with an ankle hampering his 2023 season (Mims didn’t always play full games when starting), and suffering a hamstring injury during the combine. Look at Mims’ above RAS score again if you doubt his conditioning, but there’s no denying that the big man has a number of question marks entering his pro career.

The promise is hard to ignore, however. If Mims can improve his footwork and some other technical issues throughout his game, he has all the tools to be one of the NFL’s most dominant offensive tackles.

Strengths

• Exceptional build
• Great athleticism for size
• Incredibly long arms
• Surprisingly polished in pass blocking
• Powerful, terminates bull-rushes

Weaknesses

• Inexperience, injury concerns
• Poor leg drive
• Could improve leverage, hand usage

What others are saying about Amarius Mims

Brandon Thorn of Bleacher Report

Overall, Mims is a towering figure who looks like he was built in a lab with how lean, rocked-up and easy of a mover he is at 340 pounds. He glides in his pass sets with the range, length and natural power of a future high-level NFL pass-protector, but he needs to be coached up with his positional leverage, footwork and sustain skills before reaching his full potential… PRO COMPARISON: Jammal Brown

Damian Parson of The Draft Network

Amarius Mims is alert and aware from snap to snap. Mims’ vision helps to identify and pass off twists and stunts well. Blitz pick-up is a positive check mark in his book. He is rarely caught off guard by delayed blitzes and free runners… Mims can improve on running his feet when engaged in run blocking. He will battle to a stalemate and stop his feet. Against high-motor NFL defenders, this can cause issues with extended plays. Mims relies on two-handed punches in pass protection. I would like to see more nuance grow with more playing time. He needs to alternate his punches based on the leveraging and positioning of the defender… Mims projects as an athletic and physically gifted starting OT… Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Pro Bowl Caliber

Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network

Mims’ path to the 2024 NFL Draft has been similar to Broderick Jones’, who came before Mims in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle… Absolute road-grader on the ground with his athleticism, power, and finisher mentality… He has starting experience at both left and right tackle and can play both spots… At his height, Mims naturally plays too tall into contact at times and negates his base… Is still relatively over-reliant on two-hand extensions and can hone his hand-fighting.

Amarius Mims’ fit with the Steelers

There’s a future where the Steelers draft Mims in the first round as their future right tackle, Broderick Jones moves to left tackle, and the Steelers have a young, physical, and athletic tackle duo that’s among the NFL’s best for years to come. That’s a likely outcome as well, with the Steelers showing a lot of pre-draft interest in Mims, and both he and Jones having incredible upside.

But the flip side is that Mims still has high bust potential, with less than a season’s worth of career starts, past injury issues, and raw technique. He could be something special, but it’s highly unlikely he’s a Week 1 starter. That means that if drafted by the Steelers, Jones will remain at right tackle, and Dan Moore at left, to start the season, with a shuffling of offensive linemen occurring at midseason when Mims is deemed ready. If it works out, it’ll be worth the trouble, but Mims isn’t a bullet-proof enough prospect to make it a no-brainer, if he’s even available at pick 20 in the first place.

TL;DR: One of the draft’s most promising prospects, Mims is a massive, athletic right tackle with limited experience and some injury issues. His technique is still improving, but if he can develop and remain healthy, he has All-Pro potential.

What are your thoughts on Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!