Jonathan Mingo - Former Carolina Panthers WR
- No. 39 overall selection | 2023 NFL Draft
Getting it wrong with one second-round wide receiver was bad enough from the Carolina Panthers' perspective. Missing on two almost in succession was a damning indictment of personnel evaluations when previous general manager Scott Fitterer called the shots.
Jonathan Mingo came into the Panthers with physical attributes that could potentially be molded into something more. The Panthers were betting on upside and athleticism once again. That judgment was misplaced.
Mingo got significant involvement as a rookie. He flashed moments of promise over his first training camp to whet the appetite. But much like the situation with Terrace Marshall Jr., he failed to put everything together when things mattered more.
The former Ole Miss standout had trouble creating separation. Mingo's route-running was poor and lacked the sharpness needed to manipulate opposing defensive backs. There were concentration issues when the football came his way. It wasn't what anyone associated with the Panthers was hoping for.
He brought in 43 receptions from 85 targets for 418 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. Mingo got credited with four drops and had a lowly 54.9 passer rating when targeted. Some of his mistakes were comical, leading fans to wonder if he'd ever reach the heights anticipated of a high-end second-round selection.
Carolina wasn't going to wait around on the off-chance Mingo put everything together in year two. Dan Morgan moved into the first round for Xavier Legette, traded for Diontae Johnson, signed David Moore, and picked up Jalen Coker when the undrafted free-agent frenzy commenced. That left Mingo facing an uphill battle to firmly establish himself.
Mingo made the 53-man roster after showing signs of life over camp. This resulted in nothing more than a minimal contribution over the first half of 2024. With the Panthers struggling, Morgan opted to end this experiment ahead of time.
The Panthers traded Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round selection before the deadline. The fact this was seen as better than the expected value is an indictment of his inability to produce the goods in key moments.
Mingo featured eight times for the Cowboys, starting one game. He was given just 16 targets — five of which he brought in for 46 receiving yards and two first downs. With a new coaching regime in Dallas, the pass-catcher has to prove himself all over again.
Morgan deserves credit for recognizing this situation for what it was and exploiting it accordingly. As for Mingo? A long road to redemption awaits.