Broadway Joe
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- Mar 19, 2019
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The Jets used to have a tall, lanky receiver who was capable of making big plays downfield.
Then the Panthers signed Robby Anderson away, so he could join his old Temple coach Matt Rhule.
So it’s probably only fair in the circle of life that the Jets replaced him with second-round pick Denzel Mims, who played for Rhule at Baylor, and Rhule thinks it’s a good fit.
“The Jets are getting an unbelievably tough, hard-working guy,” Rhule told Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “This past spring, he had to have surgery and he still wanted to practice. He went through seven or eight spring practices before he had surgery. Here’s a guy who knows he’s going to get drafted high and he’s out there still practicing, playing on special teams.
“He’s a guy that Jets fans are going to love. He’s blue collar, tough guy, but yet he still runs 4.38 (40-yard dash). He’s going to be a deep ball threat. He’s got great hands, really, really smart, really tough and competitive.”
Mims had at least eight touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, the only FBS player to do so. After coming back from offseason surgery, he had 66 catches for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns last year.
“His best football is still ahead of him and the greatest thing about him is he’s a guy that wants to learn,” Rhule said. “He’s not one of those guys who thinks he has it all figured out. He wants to get better. He wants to improve. He’s driven to be good.
“Learning how to play receiver, learning all the intricacies of route running, getting off bump-and-run, working the top of routes, he’s developed in those areas. When you get to the NFL and you face the best of the best you make a really big jump. That’s what all of the players I’ve had have done. I think Denzel will make yet another big jump this year.”
That will be good news for the Jets, who needed all the help they can get in the passing game for quarterback Sam Darnold.