The Carolina Panthers traded their number one receiver, DJ Moore, in the offseason as part of a package to get the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. So it made sense that the Panthers front office would consider taking a wide receiver in the first three rounds of the draft, and they decided to draft Jonathan Mingo in the second round with the 39th overall pick. Mingo is a big receiver at 6’0″ and 220 pounds, and he reminds me of Deebo Samuel. Like Samuel, he turns into a running back with the ball in his hands. He is tough to tackle, and he is skilled when it comes to yards after the catch. He is not the fastest receiver, but he wins consistently with contested catches. Everything about Mingo is smooth and well-defined. He caught 51 passes for 861 yards and five touchdowns last season at Ole Miss. His 247-yard game against Vanderbilt broke Elijah Moore’s Ole Miss single-game receiving record.
Jonathan Mingo Player Profile
Strengths:
- Imposing size
- Excellent footwork to beat press man coverage
- Works back to the ball well and fights for contested catches
- Excellent at tracking the deep passes downfield
- Excellent run blocker
Weaknesses:
- Needs to get better separation in and out of breaks on his routes
- Footwork is good overall but lacks suddenness
- Lacks long speed. He needs to find a second gear sometimes on the deep throws downfield so he doesn’t have to make so many contested catches.
Jonathan Mingo Fantasy Football Projection
The rookie will have some competition for targets and playing time, especially early in the season, with Adam Thielen, DJ Chark and Terrace Marshall on the roster and battling for the top three wide receiver spots. The nice part about Mingo’s skill set is that he is versatile and can play on the outside or in the slot. That could give him an edge in the competition and ensure he sees snaps as early as Week 1. Overall, I see Mingo starting the season a little slow, but as he gets more playing time and experience, I can see him finishing the season strong. I believe he will be a top-50 wide receiver in fantasy football leagues at the end of the season, while also building a nice rapport and foundation with Bryce Young in Carolina for years to come. That makes him a great pick at his current WR70 ADP, with impressive upside if he can establish himself as a go-to target for Young early on in the season.
