Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville QB Commit Mason Mims
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has officially landed their first verbal pledge in the Class of 2025, as Mason Mims has committed to the Cardinals.
Here is Louisville Report's full evaluation:
Prospect: Mason Mims
Position: Quarterback
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
School: Oxford (Ala.) HS
Top Offers: Mississippi State, Pitt, Troy, Vanderbilt, West Virginia
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8750 (478th)
Mason Mims' Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)
Frame: Mims has the height that you want out of a quarterback prospect, has a solid wingspan, and he carries his weight exceptionally well for a surprisingly slightly lanky frame. He could certainly benefit from adding some muscle tone, especially in his upper body, but there is plenty of room for it.
Athleticism: At the risk of using the tried and true cliche, Mims is more athletic than you would think (sneaky athletic, one might say). He's not a track star, but he can pick up chunks of yards with his legs on designed runs or when the play breaks down, and does do a good job using his feet to side-stepping tackles. His arm strength is good, and he has shown flashes of an above average deep ball.
Instincts: As you can expect from a guy who, as a junior, has completed over 70 percent of his passes and thrown only three interceptions, accuracy and decision making is Mims' calling card. He puts a fantastic touch on the football in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Add in some great anticipation on his throws, he routinely puts the ball where either only his man can get it, or where it will hit him in stride. He goes through his reads fairly quickly and is a quick decision maker, even when there is pressure. While he typically chooses to use his legs to try and extend the play and find a receiver, he's also not afraid to turn up field if that's the best option.
Polish: Mims has good footwork, whether that be on his dropbacks or climbing up the pocket. Even with a long wingspan, he has a somewhat fluid and very snappy throwing motion that gets the ball out quick. If the play call has routes that take some time to develop or goes deeper down the field, he does have a bit of a tendency to stare down his target, and sometimes doesn't quite get enough zip on deep balls for some under throws. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected with coaching, and more often than not, he is able to throw receivers open either from the actual ball placement or how he goes through reads.
Bottom Line: Overall, this is a great pickup for Louisville. Mims does need to add some muscle tone/strength, and could use a bit of coaching to shake some bad habits. That being said, he's already very far along in terms of how he reads the field and where he needs to put the football. He's probably not a candidate to see meaningful snaps as a freshman, but will likely be a very viable candidate for the starting job by his sophomore season in college.
(Photo of Mason Mims via University of Louisville Athletics)
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