Carolina added veteran receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark in free agency but maybe the most intriguing newcomer in the wide receiver room is second-round draft pick, Jonathan Mingo.
At 6'2", 225 pounds, you would think Mingo is just an over-the-middle threat that can also catch contested balls at a high rate. But he's much more than that. He can stretch the field vertically, beat you with his speed, and rack up yards after the catch. He has the total package and that's why head coach Frank Reich is so eager to get to work with him.
"You can move him around. We put all of our pass game into kind of different families. We just see him as a really good scheme fit. We run a lot of shallows, crosses, we want to get the ball vertical. He has been very effective there. And the thing about a guy, like Scott said, when a guy has elite ball skills and you’ve got a super accurate passer like we do, that is just a really good combination. Just get it near him. He has got strong hands to the ball and he will be a great target for Bryce."
So, just how good could Mingo be? According to NFL.com Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein, he could have a similar career to potential Hall of Famer, Anquan Boldin.
"Big, strong slot receiver possessing the mental and physical toughness to outperform his speed limitations. The career production is nothing special, but it’s clear he’s put time and effort into his craft. He runs crisp, well-paced routes and ramps up his focus when it’s time to go get the football. A lack of separation burst and long speed could make for more contested catches, but he has the body type and willingness for that work. Mingo can get tough yards after the catch and is an above-average blocker. He has the skill level and demeanor to become a starting slot receiver for teams using 11 personnel (three WRs) as their base offense."
Even if Mingo becomes half the receiver Boldin was, it's a huge win for the Panthers. I mean, the guy caught 1,076 passes for 13,779 yards and 82 touchdowns in his career. In seven of his fourteen seasons, Boldin went over the 1,000-yard mark.
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