Panthers draft: Why Denzel Mims was not a realistic option
By Dean Jones
As much as the Carolina Panthers draft team and head coach Matt Rhule might have wanted to, they were not in a position to take Denzel Mims.
It is evident that the Carolina Panthers draft team was going to focus heavily on the defensive side of the ball. This is something they managed to achieve with a historic class that will go down in NFL history.
One player that might have been high on the shortlist had this eventuality not panned out was Baylor wide receiver, Denzel Mims. The prospect formed a close relationship with head coach Matt Rhule and he generated a lot of buzz before the Panthers draft went in a different direction.
Mims eventually went to the New York Jets with the No. 58 pick. This means the Panthers draft team had two opportunities to pick the player before eventually deciding to go elsewhere.
That is not to say Rhule is not a huge fan of the player. Speaking to Newsday, the Panthers’ head coach outlined his faith in Mims and thinks he is going to be a huge success at the next level.
Rhule had this to say on the player.
"“He’s a guy that Jets fans are going to love. He’s blue-collar, tough guy, but yet he still runs 4.38. He’s going to be a deep-ball threat. He’s got great hands, really, really smart, really tough and competitive.”"
The Panthers draft saw them take one player from Rhule’s old program in the form of sixth-round defensive tackle Bravvion Roy. He is a candidate to be on the rotation behind projected starters Derrick Brown and Kawann Short in the Panthers’ new 4-3 base defense.
While the temptation to take Mims might have been there for the Panthers. They probably made the right call utilizing their early picks on areas of significant need.