Jonathan Mingo, WR Ole Miss: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Mingo was a four-star recruit from Brandon High School in Brandon, Miss. in the class of 2019

The Ole Miss Rebels football program has sent several impressive players to the NFL recently, including A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, and Elijah Moore. Jonathan Mingo will join that group when he hears his name called in the top 100 selections of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Jonathan Mingo, WR Ole Miss: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior wide receiver from Brandon, Miss.

Background: Mingo was a four-star recruit from Brandon High School in Brandon, Miss. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 215 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 150 for Rivals, and No. 213 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 249th in the nation with an 81 grade out of 100. Mingo committed to Ole Miss over offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, and Oregon. As a high school senior, he produced 77 receptions for 1,451 yards and 14 touchdowns. Mingo finished high school with 2,492 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. He led Brandon to a 13-2 record and the 6A South State title game as a senior. Mingo played in the 2018 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game and was selected for the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game. As a senior, he received Class 6A First-Team All-State honors. Mingo was born on April 20, 2001.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed seven games in 2021 with a broken foot

Awards: 2020 & 2021 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, 2022 Second-Team All-SEC

Pros: Experience in the slot and out wide, speed to house big plays, immediate acceleration off the line of scrimmage to reach his top speed, good top speed to get vertical, long strides to cover ground quickly, uses a hesi-go to stack corners, varies foot speed, foot speed, more juice off the line than he’s given credit for, foot speed and bounce help release package, ball tracking, makes good adjustments when the ball is mid-air, makes diving and sliding catches, plays through contact, frame will stress the physicality of corners in press, physicality allows him to play through press coverage, runs routes with urgency, sinks his hips to make sharp cuts, thrives picking apart zones, YAC threat, finishes plays falling forward, willing blocker, physicality and size to be an imposing blocker

Cons: Not frequently used on special teams, penalized four times in 2022, concentration drops, four drops in 2021 and 2022, not a plus in contested catch situations, needs to be more aggressive at the catch point, need to attack the ball in the air more often, not overly shifty, sudden, or elusive, speed isn’t elite, routes are more rounded than sharp, doesn’t run routes at full speed when the play isn’t going his way, could be more aggressive getting into the bodies of DBs as a blocker, schemed up some touches

Overview: Mingo took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6016 and weighs 220 lbs. He has 10 3/8-inch hands and 32 1/8-inch arms. Mingo had a 76 1/4-inch wingspan at the Senior Bowl. He doesn’t bring much special teams experience to the table but is inside-out versatile on offense. Mingo doesn’t have elite speed, but his long strides, instant acceleration, and top speed are more than enough to take big plays to the house. The former four-star recruit explodes off the line of scrimmage and accelerates to his top speed quickly. His speed alone is enough to stack corners vertically, although he’s inconsistent in that regard. Mingo uses varied foot speed and a hesi-go to lull defenders before accelerating past them. He plays with tremendous foot speed, which helps his release package, vertical speed, and ability to cut in and out of breaks. Mingo’s ball tracking is excellent. He makes good adjustments when the ball is mid-air and hauls in diving and sliding catches. The Mississippi native uses his powerful frame to battle through contact in his release and overwhelm press coverage. Mingo runs routes with urgency and sinks his hips to make sharp cuts. He’ll thrive picking apart zone defenses at the NFL level. Mingo is a YAC threat because of his speed and size. He’s a willing blocker who uses his physicality to seal or displace defenders. However, he could be more aggressive getting into the bodies of defensive backs and driving them out of the play. Mingo benefited from some schemed touches and manufactured space at Ole Miss. He suffers from concentration drops and doesn’t dominate in contested catch situations despite possessing a large frame and a 39.5’’ vertical jump. The senior needs to be more aggressive at the catch point and attack the football. He was penalized four times in 2022. Mingo isn’t a shifty, sudden, or elusive athlete and lacks elite vertical speed. His routes are sometimes more rounded than sharp.

Overall, Mingo is a unique wide receiver in this draft class because of his acceleration, build, physicality, and decent top speed. The odds he becomes a top receiving option in the NFL are low, but his combination of traits gives him a high floor. Mingo should be deployed from multiple alignments and sent in motion frequently.

Role & Scheme Fit: Slot (Y) or Z receiver in an 11 personnel heavy scheme

Round Projection: Early Third to Late Third

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-11-23