Amarius Mims knows he doesn’t have the same number of snap counts and starts as some of his other offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft.
One of the reasons Mims played fewer snaps than just about every top-tier offensive tackle prospect is because of an ankle injury Mims suffered in Georgia’s SEC championship loss to Alabama.
Mims picked up an ankle injury on Georgia’s second drive of the game. His presence was greatly missed, as the Bulldogs had to shuffle around their offensive line.
“It wasn’t my proudest game, honestly,” Mims said at the NFL combine on Saturday. “I went down, I want to say, play 12. I wish I could have finished the game with my guys. We fell up short, but like I said, if I could go back to that game, I wish I wouldn’t have got bumped up on my ankle again. But, like I said, if we were 100 percent healthy, it would have been a different outcome in that game, honestly.”
With Mims out, Xavier Truss moved out to right tackle. Georgia first began playing Micah Morris at left guard before then plugging Dylan Fairchild in later in the game.
The 24 points scored was a season-worst output for a Georgia offense that averaged over 40 points per game this past season. Mims was really missed on third down for Georgia, as the Bulldogs converted just 4 of their 12 attempts. That 33 percent conversion rate was well off Georgia’s average of 55 percent.
The loss for Georgia ended a 29-game winning streak for the Bulldogs and kept Georgia out of the College Football Playoff. Mims did not play in Georgia’s 63-3 win over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
Mims also missed six games last season with an ankle injury that required surgery.
Still, even with just eight starts in his Georgia career, Mims is confident his time in Athens prepared him well for the NFL.
“I feel like Georgia is the best college institution in the country and I feel like they prepared me and the guys, my teammates here, more than anyone else here, honestly,” Mims said. “Just the hard coaching, the coaching staff we’ve got is the best coaching staff in the country. I strongly feel that’s true. They teach you how to grow up before your time and I had to do that real quick. I’m very thankful for that.”
It is a loaded class at offensive tackle and Mims will need to show out at the NFL combine to secure his spot in the first round. But it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Mims have a standout showing when he works out on Sunday. While he may not be the first offensive tackle taken, he could push his way into the top 10.
“I know I don’t have the amount of starts and snaps as many guys here, but I feel like I’m just as good and just as prepared as anybody in the class,” Mims said.
Georgia has had four offensive tackles taken in the first round since Kirby Smart became the head coach of the program, with Broderick Jones going to the Steelers just last season.
If Mims is to possibly join his former teammate, he’ll have to be taken in the first round of the draft which is set for April 25.
