Broncos Trade Up, Draft Explosive WR at Pick 63 in Round 2
The Denver Broncos are hoping that good things come to those who wait. After trading up in Round 2 with the Detroit Lions, the Broncos selected Oklahoma slot receiver Marvin Mims Jr. with the No. 63 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Broncos gave up picks 68 and 138 to Detroit in exchange for No. 63 and 183, per Denver7's Troy Renck. Mims ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so the Broncos injected some speed into the offense.
The 5-foot-11, 183-pound Mims is coming off a productive final season in college, totaling 54 receptions for 1,083 yards and six touchdowns. The playmaker totaled 1,315 receiving yards combined over his first two years at Oklahoma, with 14 scores.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton should be taken at his word when it comes to the whole 'best player available' ethos, and he also lived up to his reputation for trading up in the draft. Payton must have a plug-in role in mind for Mims, especially with KJ Hamler missing most of his third NFL season and currently recovering from offseason surgery.
Here's what Mile High Huddle draft analyst Lance Sanderson wrote about Mims in our Finding Broncos scouting report on the Sooners' star wideout.
Despite being a smaller player with some limitations early in his career, Marvin Mims is an explosive playmaker capable of taking the top off a defense with elite straight-line speed. Mims is electric, especially on double moves. However, there are some times when his route running underneath and in the intermediate areas is a little bit shaky due to the offense deployed at Oklahoma. Still, Mims has enough twitch and fluidity in his lower half to become a high-quality player in that aspect as he continues to develop.
A reliable weapon with a great ability to find open creases and exploit them with the ball in his hands, Mims can be used in some jet sweep, screen, and gadget plays designed to get him in space and go to work with his incredible acceleration. In addition, his ability to eliminate angular pursuit is high level, making him a player that offensive coordinators could covet as a big play dynamo.
The Broncos next go on the clock at pick 67 in the third round.
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