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Acquiring top talent is important, but finding some diamonds in the rough towards the middle of the draft is arguably more important. Filling out the starting line up and depth pieces is key in today’s game. Here are five mid-round receivers and perfect team fits for their game.
Puka Nacua – Cincinnati Bengals
A receiver for the Bengals? You bet. Tyler Boyd is in the last year of his deal and the Bengals are looking to find his eventual replacement. BYU’s Puka Nacua has a similar skill set to that of Boyd when he was coming out of Pittsburgh.
Nacua is a bit limited athletically, but his 6’1”, 200 pound frame plays well at all receiver positions. He runs crispy routes, has strong hands, and is a solid run blocker. He’s predicted as a mid-to-late round prospect but could be a steal for Burrow and company.
Jonathan Mingo – Indianapolis Colts
Chris Ballard prefers big-bodied, physical, explosive receivers. With Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce on the roster, the Colts need to find their slot receiver of the future. Jonathan Mingo was a versatile chess piece for Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels. He can line up in the slot, outside, at halfback or even in-line.
Mingo runs a 4.46 at 6’2”, 220 pounds and pairs that with a ridiculous 39.5” vertical and 10’9” broad jump. His production at Ole Miss left a little to be desired, but his athleticism and skill set should translate well to the next level.
Jayden Reed – Carolina Panthers
Carolina shipped off their number one receiver in D.J. Moore and replaced him with D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen. With those two mostly operating on the outside along with Terrace Marshall Jr., the Panthers need someone to operate from the slot. Reed was target number one at Michigan State, catching 55 passes for 636 yards and five touchdowns.
Reed is undersized at only 5’10”, 187 pounds, but his 4.45 speed and his route running ability make up for his size deficit. Drafting Reed alongside a rookie quarterback will give them time to grow and develop together, a perfect recipe for success in today’s NFL.
A.T. Perry – Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Marvin Jones Jr. is a formidable trio, but the Lions need to find an outside threat to replace rotate with Jones Jr. Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry stands at 6’3”, 198 pounds with a 4.47 40-yard dash and 35” vertical.
Perry had the 15th most yards in 2022 with 1,100, and was t-7th in receiving touchdowns with 11. You’d like to see him use his size a bit more on the outside, but after gaining a few pounds in an NFL weight room, Perry could become a dominant X receiver.
Marvin Mims – Los Angeles Chargers
Marvin Mims is a burner from Oklahoma. With his speed, he’s a threat to take any reception to the house. The Chargers have a big-bodied receiver in Mike Williams and a do-it-all guy in Keenan Allen. But they lack a speedy threat down the field. Mims can be that prospect.
Mims has 4.38 speed and averaged 20 yards per reception in 2022, sixth most in the NCAA with receivers of 50+ targets. He’s an elite deep threat and could be a dangerous weapon with Justin Herbert’s arm talent.
