Dolphins Potential Draft Target Profile: T Amarius Mims

The Miami Dolphins have the 21st overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft and could use a dominant interior defensive lineman

The 2024 NFL Draft is this month.

For the first time since 2021, the Miami Dolphins have a first-round pick. The team will pick No. 21 overall, and they have pick No. 55 in the second round before taking the third and fourth rounds off.

They’ll get back on the clock with pick No. 158 in the fifth round and finish things off with picks 184, 198 and 241.

This series of draft profiles is intended as an introduction to certain prospects so fans are familiar with a number of options and why they make sense for the Dolphins. We’ll start this series by focusing on players who Miami could select at No. 21.

We’ll dive into some simple biographical information, the pros and cons of their game and how they fit into Miami’s scheme or depth chart.

Georgia OT Amarius Mims

Basic Background

Mims hasn’t played much football thus far in his career. He got on the field as a true freshman in 2021 but didn’t play many meaningful snaps.

In 2022, he played as a reserve lineman in 14 of 15 games. He recorded a career-high 383 snaps, all at right tackle. He was promoted to the starting lineup during the postseason, starting against Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the CFP National Championship against TCU.

Last season, Mims dealt with a high ankle sprain that required tightrope surgery. He played just 297 snaps, all at right tackle. He was healthy enough to participate in the NFL Combine but pulled his hamstring running his 40-yard dash.

Mims was one of the country’s best recruits coming out of Bleckley County High School in Georgia. He was a consensus five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect, No. 1 prospect in Georgia and No. 7 prospect nationally.

Pros of Mims’ Game

Mims didn’t play many snaps at Georgia, but he was wildly impressive when he was on the field. Everything starts with Mims’ massive size. He came in at 6-7, 340 pounds with a 97th percentile wing span and 95th percentile arm length.

Mims carries that weight better than most players, too. He almost looks like a massive tight end without his pads on. That’s the first indication that Mims isn’t the typical massive tackle prospect.

The other comes when you pop on his film and watch him move. Mims is wildly explosive for his size and just in general. He has no problems moving his feet to match speed rushers in pass protection, and he can get to the second level to wall off small defenders.

In the running game, that explosiveness makes him a fantastic people mover. Georgia had one of the best running games in the nation through the years, and it was even better when Mims was on the field.

His tape is filled with reps where he finishes a defender into the dirt or pushes them seven to 10 yards down the field. If the Dolphins want to get tough up front, then Mims is an excellent place to start. He should be a plus run blocker in zone and gap concepts, which would benefit Miami’s diverse running game.

In pass protection, Mims’ athletic ability is plenty good enough, but his long arms make defenders’ days difficult. It’s simply hard to run around someone as big as Mims before the quarterback releases the ball.

When he’s on point with his technique and able to establish good placement early, his length locks the defender out of the play entirely.

There are legitimate concerns about Mims’ limited experience. However, this isn’t a player who has bad tape and needs more reps. When on the field, Mims was easily a first-round talent.

He needs some work, but without the injury this past season, he’d probably be a lock in the top 10.

Cons of Mims’ Game

As mentioned above, Mims hasn’t played much football and has battled injuries. Those are real concerns, especially with a player of his size. Miami specifically is a team that has struggled with offensive line injuries in recent years.

There’s a chance they don’t want to consider Mims off that alone, although that would be short-sighted thinking.

On the field, Mims’ lack of experience can get the better of him. Stunts and exotic pressures can surprise him sometimes. His feet don’t always match up with his hand strikes, which can leave him a little unbalanced.

Many analysts will say Mims is raw, and from a pure play-time perspective that is true. However, the instances where Mims’ lack of refinement pops up on tape are greatly outweighed by the positive things he does.

He could benefit from some time on the bench as a rookie. Just to ensure he’s healthy and ready to go when he gets his chance. The idea that Mims is some project that needs to be built from the ground isn’t accurate.

HOW AMARIUS MIMS FITS THE MIAMI DOLPHINS

It’s tough to figure out Mims’ short-term fit with the Dolphins. The Dolphins are committed to Terron Armstead (LT) and Austin Jackson (RT) as starters for at least this season.

If Mims was going to start Day 1, he might have to play right guard. That would be a difficult position switch, and Mims’ larger frame doesn’t project overly well to guard in the first place.

In the long term, Mims is an ideal fit for the Dolphins. Armstead flirted with retirement this offseason, and he’s battled injuries pretty much his entire career. He’s never played more than 15 games in a season, and in two seasons with the Dolphins, he’s played 23 of 34 regular season games.

Armstead is an older player with a lengthy injury history. The Dolphins shouldn’t count him fully this season, let alone into the future. Mims getting an opportunity to sit and learn behind Armstead this season feels like an ideal scenario for a player who didn’t play much in college.

If Armstead goes down, Mims can step in. The Georgia product played right tackle at Georgia, but he’s mentioned in pre-draft interviews that he practiced at left tackle for the Bulldogs. That means any transition to the left side should be easier.

Mims’ experience at right tackle also means he can replace Jackson in a pinch or long term if Jackson’s play reverts to its pre-2023 levels.

Scheme-wise, Mims would be a terror in Miami’s offense. His long arms would make it nearly impossible for defenders to get to Tua Tagovailoa, who has the league’s fastest time to throw.

In the running game, Mims is athletic enough to execute the outside concepts coach Mike McDaniel loves and powerful enough to win on the gap concepts Miami calls to change the look on the defense.

Although the Dolphins are in a winning window, they must be aware of the future. The team is expected to sign Tagovailoa to a large second contract. If that happens, the Dolphins must believe their winning window won’t expire until Tua’s contract does.

Whether Tua has played well enough to earn that distinction is another entirely different conversation. However, the Dolphins seem to believe he has. If he’s going to live up to that, he has to be protected.

No matter which side of the Tua debate you land on, there’s no argument he needs a strong line in front of him. Mims can lock down one of the line’s most crucial spots for years to come.