Pros and cons of Bengals picking Georgia football's Amarius Mims in 2024 NFL Draft

Amarius Mims from Georgia football is officially an NFL rookie after being picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. He was selected 18th overall.

Here's what Mims brings to the Bengals, based on our own observations from the offensive tackle's tenure at Georgia:

What Amarius Mims brings to Cincinnati Bengals in 2024 NFL Draft

Amarius Mims oozes potential and upside from a program that has sent NFL-ready offensive linemen Andrew Thomas, Jamaree Salyer and Broderick Jones to the league in recent seasons. That's why, even with only eight games starting in college, he was viewed by most projections as a first-round draft pick. At 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, Mims has rare athleticism. He ran a 5.07 40 at the NFL combine. Georgia was able to reel him back in after he went into the transfer portal after the 2021 season.

Amarius Mims highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Georgia football

Mims got his first college starts on the biggest of stages in the College Football Playoff in the 2022 season, showing he was more than capable starting against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl national semifinal and TCU in the national championship game. Georgia three-year starting center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger said not to judge Mims by his total snaps. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said Mims, who was limited to six starts last year because of surgery for a high ankle sprain, was battle-tested from going up against the likes of Travon Walker, Nolan Smith and other current NFL players. Mims run blocking—graded at 68.4 by Pro Football Focus—has room for growth. He played exclusively at right tackle at Georgia.

Amarius Mims stats at Georgia football

Did not allow a sack and gave up just six quarterback pressures in 376 career pass blocks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Amarius Mims player comparison (or potential) in NFL

Alabama's Evan Neal was the last NFL first round offensive tackle that had similar size to Mims, but he didn't run at the combine in the ballpark of Mims. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares Mims to Donovan Smith, a 6-6, 338-pounder who has played nine years in the league including with the Kansas City Chiefs last season.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Bengals draft Amarius Mims in 2024 NFL Draft: Pros, cons of pick