Jonathan Mingo | WR | Ole Miss
2023 NFL Draft Prospects
As the off-season progresses we should get some clarity on the state of the Giant's wide receiver room ahead of the NFL Draft. Joe Schoen has already returned Isaiah Hodgins on a one-year deal but will have decisions to make on Darius Slayton, Richie James, and Sterling Shepard. Combined with the Kenny Golladay situation and there is the potential for the Giants to enter week one of 2023 with only the aforementioned Hodgins and 2022 second-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson as returning weapons for Daniel Jones.
Over on the One Giant Podcast, we will discuss the most likely outcome for this handful of players along with my personal Hard Knocks favorite Kalil Pimpleton. Regardless of how many of these players do return the reality remains that Big Blue needs more playmakers on the offensive side of the ball - and having highlighted Rashee Rice last week, let’s go a little deeper into the draft for another potential fit for the Mike Kafka offense.
JONATHAN MINGO | 6’2” 226 | 4.46 40 Time | Ole Miss
After suffering a foot injury in 2021 Jonathan Mingo put together his best season in 2022 with 51 receptions for 861 yards and five touchdowns. The 99.8 QB rating when targeting Mingo is on-par with Zay Flowers out of Boston College, a player currently in the late-first/early second-round range.
ON TAPE: Jonathan Mingo is a player that does an excellent job with the ball in his hands, taking on secondary players with his solid frame. Opportunities in the screen game should be there at the NFL level and while he rarely received traditional carries, I can see him out of the backfield creating coverage mismatches for himself or his teammates given his skillset. Much like Rashee Rice, Jonathan Mingo is a playmaker for the QB. He will need to work on his release and short area separation but provides that security for his signal caller.
Most scouts suggest that he can take the top off of defenses, but it will take time for those routes to develop. The tricky part in watching the film on any player is always success relative to the competition. I can get excited however seeing a seven-reception performance against Alabama this past season as well as setting a fairly consistent 3/40 line week over week.
My last but not least footnote is that Jonathan Mingo also does the less-sexy work as a receiver. One area that can often be overlooked is how a receiver can help the offensive line and running game. Especially with the undersized Wan’Dale Robinson expected to have a significant role, a player with Mingo’s size and strength can provide relief in more than one area for Big Blue.
GIANT COMPARISON: This one will come from outside the organization as the comparison is sure to perk up Giants fans' ears. Deebo Samuel has been used as the NFL comparison for Jonathan Mingo and obviously, San Fransisco has maximized every bit of his value since drafting the South Carolina product back in the 2019 Draft.
It is worth noting that Samuel(34th overall pick) held a 6.40 prospect grade which carries starter expectations and was the same grade Drake London(8th overall) held in last year's draft.
CURRENT OUTLOOK: The Giants drafted Wan’Dale Robinson to replace Kadarius Toney, the swiss-army knife from the previous regime. With an additional third-round selection following Toney’s trade to the Kansas City Chiefs and the potential loss of Darius Slayton, adding a player with versatility and size could help replenish the already thin position. Mingo currently sits just outside the third round, making the 100th or 128th selection a possible target point in the draft.
NEXT UP: NATHANIEL “TANK” DELL | 5’ 10” 163 | 4.42 40 Time | HOUSTON
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Adam Armbrecht is the host of the One Giant Podcast, covering the New York Giants for the past four seasons. Available on YouTube and where ever you get podcast.
He is also the host of the Locked On Nets Podcast providing daily coverage of the Brooklyn Nets.