Bengals first-round pick Amarius Mims explains why he's equipped to quickly transition to NFL life

Until Cincinnati Bengals rookie offensive tackle Amarius Mims plays an NFL game, he'll be labeled as someone who needs experience and coaching to succeed.

The 18th pick in this year's NFL Draft got a taste of offensive line coach Frank Pollack's teachings and tenacity this week at Cincinnati's rookie minicamp. In Mims' eyes, Pollack's style actually reminds him of his o-line coach from Georgia, Stacey Searels. 

"I can tell what kind of coach he is. I'm gonna get the same coach every day, and that's what I enjoy," Mims told media members after Friday's minicamp. "It was like that with Coach Searels at Georgia, they remind me so much of each other because they both got that same vibe, they had that great energy. I know what kind of version of coach I'm gonna get every day. That's what I need, honestly."

Having been coached at one of the top programs in college football is why Mims has a leg up on some of his peers to hit the ground running.

Georgia helped make Amarius Mims ready for the NFL

The Bengals typically target players from the biggest programs because those players played on the biggest of stages. See Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, etc.

While 2023 didn't end quite how the Bulldogs wanted, Georgia remains one of the pure powerhouse football schools in the nation. An 8-2 record in major bowl games since 2017 including three College Football Playoff appearances and two championship trophies speak for themselves.

Mims came to Georgia at the exact right time in 2021 for the program's first title run, and the Bulldogs ended up going back-to-back in 2022. A loss in the SEC Championship game in 2023 prevented a chance for a three-peat.

That doesn't take away from the infrastructure and culture the program has to compete at the highest level. Mims experienced it all first-hand.

“I would definitely say Georgia did a good job preparing me to be a pro faster,” Mims said. “Honestly, just because the culture there’s like one of one. There was probably maybe one team in the country that does it like we do it, but not as consistent as we do it. Like I said, they did a great job preparing me so I feel like I do have a foot ahead."

While the concern for Mims revolves around him being behind most first-round prospects, being a part of one of the biggest programs in the nation is no joke. Georgia cannot routinely put itself in the championship conversation without running the operation at the highest level.

We're talking as close to the NFL as it can get, though the difference is still apparent. 

"The NFL is another level above Georgia. So we’re gonna have to take it up a notch for sure," Mims said.

The jump from college to the pros can be daunting for young athletes. There will be a leap Mims has to make himself. The shorter the leap, the easier it is to land.

Mims sounds prepared and ready as can be. That's all a team can ask for with its highest draft pick.