ESPN: Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo is a Great Fit for Vikings in Third Round
After releasing Adam Thielen, the Vikings are in the mix to select a wide receiver early in this year's NFL draft. K.J. Osborn, currently second on the team's depth chart at WR, is a solid No. 3 option who is entering a contract year, but Minnesota needs to find a long-term No. 2 to pair with superstar Justin Jefferson.
Thus, it's not surprising to see that the Vikings are doing their homework on some of the top receivers in this class — players like USC's Jordan Addison, TCU's Quentin Johnston, and Boston College's Zay Flowers. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company could go in a number of different directions with their top pick, and wide receiver is very much on the table.
But if the Vikings don't draft a receiver with their first selection, that doesn't mean they can't add an impact wideout later on in the draft. ESPN's Matt Bowen recently chose the best team fit for 15 of the top playmakers in the 2023 class, and he picked the Vikings as the best fit for Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo, who could be available in the third round.
Where the Vikings could get him: Round 3 (No. 87 overall)
Why he fits: After the departure of veteran Adam Thielen, the Vikings could add someone like Mingo to the wide receiver room on Day 2 of the draft. And I really like the fit for him in Kevin O'Connell's offense, given Mingo's powerful frame, route detail and production after the catch.
The Vikings can create free access off the ball for Mingo with motion and creative formations, giving him targets on rhythm throws from quarterback Kirk Cousins. That'd provide schemed voids that also put Mingo in a position to get loose after the catch, where he averaged 7.4 yards after the reception in 2022. Finally, Mingo would have the slot flexibility in Minnesota's system to fit well with the Vikings premier targets Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson.
Mingo was fairly quiet over his first three years at Ole Miss, but he broke out as a senior with 51 catches for 861 yards and six total touchdowns. He had some huge games throughout his college career, highlighted by a 9-catch, 247-yard, 2-touchdown outing against Vanderbilt last October. That yardage total broke the Ole Miss single-game record.
The first thing that stands out about Mingo is his size and athleticism. He lit up the NFL combine at 6'2", 225 pounds. Mingo ran a 4.46 40, benched 225 pounds 22 times, and posted great scores in the vertical and broad jumps. With the caveat that he didn't do the agility tests, he currently has a relative athletic score (RAS) of 9.97 out of 10.
Mingo's combination of size, quickness, and play strength makes him a weapon with the ball in his hands. Ole Miss frequently got him the ball on screens and other quick throws in attempt to get him loose in space. He's maybe not the same caliber of prospect as fellow former Ole Miss WRs D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown, but he's built similarly and is hard to bring down. Brown and Metcalf went 51st and 64th in the 2019 draft, respectively, and have both made an All-Pro team.
Mingo's physical tools also help him defeat press coverage, but he still needs to continue developing as a route runner and separator. He can also keep improving in contested catch situations, where his size and athleticism should win out more often than they do. With only one year of strong production and some questions about his all-around game, Mingo is unlikely to go in the top 50 picks. But he has a lot of upside if used correctly, and as Bowen described, the Vikings could be a perfect fit for his abilities.
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