In his first 2024 mock draft, NFL.com analyst Charles Davis has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims at 20th overall. The Steelers are in need of an offensive tackle opposite of Broderick Jones, so Mims reuniting with his former George Bulldog teammate makes sense on many levels.
Mike Tomlin also loves Georgia products and always speaks highly of the program that Kirby Smart has built in Athens. If Mims is still available at 20th overall, it seems like a slam dunk that the Steelers would pick him. Davis thinks the Steelers will consider highly touted Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson with their first-round pick, as well.
“Yes, there is a lack of game experience (just eight starts in college), but the upside is massive,” Davis wrote. “Mims will complete an all-Georgia Bulldog set of bookend tackles with last year’s tremendous rookie, Broderick Jones. I expect Steelers brass to consider center Jackson Powers-Johnson here, too.”
As expected, Mims stated that he did meet formally with the Pittsburgh brass in Indianapolis before declaring himself 100% for the testing portion of the combine. On Sunday, he was in the process of putting up some gaudy testing numbers prior to a minor hamstring tweak, forcing him to cut his workout short without completing the agility tests. For obvious reasons, there has been a lot of discussion in Pittsburgh recently about offensive lineman having to switch sides or positions as a whole. Mims isn’t concerned about it.
“I feel like regardless if you play right tackle or left tackle in college, you are a tackle. You have to be ready to play both because you never know what can happen,” Mims said.
For an underclassmen without much game experience, Mims is surprisingly polished as a pass protector. He showcases plenty of foot speed with the ability to reach his landmarks in pass pro with relative ease. The Georgia tackle comes equipped with an incredibly long reach, big hands with noticeable grip strength. His strong base and frame help him anchor against power moves while also having enough solid redirection ability for counters.
A 6-foot-7 3/4, 340-pound gigantic physical specimen, Mims started only eight games over his three seasons at Georgia, in part because of an ankle injury that required surgery in 2023.
Before that, Mims had to bide his time behind a deep and talented Alabama offensive line that included, Los Angeles Chargers starter Jamaree Salyer, Los Angeles Rams starter Warren McClendon and Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones.
When he finally got his chance to start in 2023, Mims suffered a high ankle sprain in the SEC opener against South Carolina on Sept. 16. He underwent the same tightrope surgery that Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett did this past season and was able to return to action for Week 11 against Ole Miss.
But four weeks later, he was injured again and was unable to finish the 2024 SEC Championship Game, which Georgia lost to Alabama.
“Somebody fell on it or he stepped on Tate [Ratledge],” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “Something happened and he just felt like he was weak and he couldn’t go.”
Mims said on Saturday that he felt fully healthy entering the NFL Combine, which was expected to be important to his draft stock, given his few starts and previous inability to stay healthy. Mims was unable to complete all of his testing due to a right hamstring injury. The injury occurred on his second run attempt in the 40-yard dash. He ran an official 5.07 on his first run.