Name:
Jonathan Mingo

School:
Ole Miss

Year:
Senior

Position:
Wide Receiver

Measurables:
6’2”, 220 lb’

Combine:
40-yd dash: 4.46, 10-yd split: 1.54
Vertical: 39.5”, Broad Jump: 10’9”
Bench: 22
 
General Info:

Mingo was a four-star recruit out of high school and selected Ole Miss after receiving high profile offers from Auburn, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Georgia. 

Mingo saw action in seven games as a freshman, catching 12 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown. He appeared in eight games as a sophomore, registering 27 catches for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Mingo had 25 targets and 16 receptions through his first three games as a junior before a foot injury forced him to miss seven games. He finished with 22 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. 

Mingo broke out as a senior, hauling in 51 catches for 861 yards and five touchdowns. He set an Ole Miss single-game yardage receiving record against Vanderbilt, amassing 247 yards on nine receptions, scoring twice. He broke Elijah Moore’s school record for yards in a game, set the year before. Was named second-team All-SEC as a senior. 

Mingo started opposite 2021 NFL draft pick EIlijah Moore (34th overall pick) for two seasons. Played in the team's 2022 bowl game instead of opting out to prepare for the draft. Mingo will turn 22 on April 20.


Positional Skills:

Strengths

Mingo checks many of the boxes GM Brian Gutekunst looks for in a receiver: good run-blocking skills, high RAS score, size, and versatility. 

Mingo is a strong, big-bodied receiver that can line up in any formation. Mingo lined up as an X, Y, Z, and slot receiver in 2022. The “Y” is important, as Mingo saw 130 snaps in 2022 lined up in the spot typically reserved for a tight end or fullback. 2022 also marked the first time in four seasons that Mingo lined up heavily in the slot, seeing 35% of his snaps from the slot. 

Mingo primarily uses his 4.46-forty speed to gain separation from defenders. He will burn corners that get caught sleeping. His play speed matches and sometimes looks faster than his forty time. According to PFF, Mingo had a 99.9 rating on balls over 20 yards (10 receptions), tied for first among FBS receivers. Is a legitimate deep threat. Scored three of his five touchdowns on wide receiver screens. Won multiple match-ups at Senior Bowl practices in one-on-ones.

He also uses his strength (22 bench reps at the combine) and massive hands to win hand battles against cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. He has great play strength and confidence with his muscular frame; is looking to run over someone when he has the ball. His 39.5” vertical will win him many 50/50 balls.

Mingo’s blocking skills showed improvement from his junior to senior season. Seemed timid at times as a junior, was more willing to get his hands dirty as a senior, often overpowering defensive backs and linebackers. The Ole Miss offense had three rushers over 600 yards, so Mingo and the other receivers were asked to block a lot. Was utilized as a run blocker on 496 snaps in 2022, the most usage of his career. Showed his versatility against Alabama in 2022 and lined up in the backfield or inline on 23 snaps, being used as a receiver, decoy, or lead blocker. 


Weaknesses

Mingo’s footwork is average at best. He sometimes gets too “dancey” at the line of scrimmage. The dancing at the line oftentimes led him getting to his spot late, resulting in more acrobatic catches. Would need work on footwork at the NFL level. He didn’t participate in the three-cone drill at the combine, so it’s more difficult to gauge what kind of short-area quickness Mingo possesses.  

Mingo’s route-running also looked suspect at times, often rounding out his breaks as opposed to sharp cuts. He relied too much on his speed and power to gain separation. That works at the college level, but not against tougher, smarter cornerbacks in the NFL. His success may have been a product of the offensive design he played under. Didn’t do enough for me to look like an alpha on the field. 

Often looked like he was taking plays off when not involved in the play. NFL coaches praise effort, and Mingo would need to be active all the time in the NFL if he wants to gain the trust of coaches.  

Drops were a concerning issue for Mingo over his first three seasons, with nine drops resulting in a 13% drop percentage. He got better as a senior with his drop percentage (more targets), but still registered four drops. Focus drops seemed to be the issue.  


Fit with the Packers:

DK Metcalf. AJ Brown. Elijah Moore. Jonathan Mingo?

Receivers from Ole Miss have had a lot of success in the NFL lately, and Mingo appears he could be next in line for NFL success. Mingo needs some refining, but he has the athleticism to be a productive receiver in the NFL like his Ole Miss counterparts. 

Mingo’s testing numbers and size are nearly identical to his Ole Miss counterpart in AJ Brown. I would say he’s more a blend of Anquan Boldin, AJ Brown, and Deebo Samuel. Watching his tape against Alabama from 2022 and the variety of formations he lined up in during that game screamed Deebo. Right now, Mingo looks like a receiver who has a floor of a fantastic number four receiver, and a ceiling as a solid number two. 

Green Bay seems to have found a number one in Christian Watson and a reliable number two in Romeo Doubs. Samori Toure is an unknown, but showed some promise on his 112 snaps. Bo Melton was signed late in the season off the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad, and is a speedy option that could provide value in the slot. 

The reason Packer fans should appreciate Mingo is that he is big, muscular, athletic, and versatile. If Jordan Love is the starting quarterback, he will need as many players like Mingo that he can get. Mingo also won’t command a high draft pick like most of the elite receivers, so the Packers could address other needs early on and still end up with someone like Mingo. It’s truly hard to gauge where he will fall. His athletic traits put him alongside many of the upper echelon receivers, but his production and weaknesses could cause him to slide to an early day three pick.  

Wherever Mingo falls, it will be interesting to see him as an NFL player. I believe in the right offense with the proper coach, Mingo could be one of the better second or third day values at receiver in this year’s draft. 

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