It’s NFL Combine season, and that generally means that starting around this time of year, analysts get popular picks that they like to pair with teams. The Pittsburgh Steelers are no different, and one of the popular picks is becoming Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims.
Between his talent and the likelihood that he falls due to relative inexperience and injury questions, Mims fits precisely what you would look for in a 20th overall. NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks jumped on the train, hoping for the team to reinforce their offensive line.
“A commitment to retool the offense could prompt the Steelers to add a massive front-line blocker to the lineup. Mims’ size, athleticism and movement skills make him an enticing upside pick for a team that excels in player development,” Brooks wrote.
Mims is a fascinating prospect, who combines an incredible athletic profile with size and strength in spades. He profiles as the kind of prospect that the Steelers could bookend with his former college teammate Broderick Jones, moving Jones back to the left size and locking down their tackle position for a decade or more.
The only problem with that idea, and the reason that Mims will likely be available when the Steelers pick at No. 20 overall in the first round, is that he only played in eight college games.
Mims is coming out after his true junior season, making him one of the youngest players in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He also played at Georgia while the Bulldogs were winning back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships in 2021 and 2022.
In 2021, he was behind Jamaree Salyer, now with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Warren McClendon, now with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2022, it was McClendon and Jones that locked down the starting roles for the Bulldogs. It wasn’t until McClendon was injured in the 2022 SEC Championship Game that Mims got a chance to shine, and he did.
Playing right tackle against Ohio State and TCU, he helped shepherd Georgia to two straight wins and a national title.
In 2023, after patiently waiting his turn for two seasons, Mims was expected to get a full season of run as a starter, only to suffer a high ankle sprain in the first SEC game of the season against South Carolina. Mims returned for regular-season finale against Ole Miss, but did not participate in the Orange Bowl after Georgia was not selected to play in the CFP, leaving him with just eight collegiate starts under his belt.
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