Jonathan Mingo details pre-draft interviews and training

The process of turning pro and heading to the NFL can be complicated. As a potential draft prospect, you must keep yourself in top shape while managing a rigorous schedule of interviews with NFL franchises looking to acquire your services. Former Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo is learning that firsthand. And at the Rebels pro day, Mingo detailed his pre-draft experience, highlighting the number of interviews he’s doing and where he has been training.

“I went to EXOs in Arizona. I know AJ (Brown), DK (Metcalf), and Elijah (Moore) went out there, and they had pretty good results,” said Mingo. “And they liked the staff out there, so I thought it was the right decision for me.”

Mingo is fully aware of his situation and the opportunity he has been presented with. He is also aware that there is a vast difference in how he must handle the draft process versus things at the collegiate level. So when it comes to the question of what teams he’s talked to and where he would like to be next season, Mingo is doing all he can to ensure that all options are on the table.

“A lot of teams. But I don’t really dial into which team is talking to me the most because, at the end of the day, I can’t decide where I go. It’s not like college. So, I’ve been taking a lot of visits. I got a lot of visits after this, and I be doing a lot of Zooms. So, I’m just talking to each team, showing them I know football and what I can bring to the table.”

Mingo on his pro-day performance

Ole Miss’s pro-day fell on Wednesday, March 29, providing Mingo and others their last opportunity to perform inside the Rebels’ indoor practice facility, and did so at full strength. Mingo already participated in the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month, as well as the Reese’s Senior Bowl in February. But the pro-day is his last skills demonstration before the NFL draft, and Mingo was confident with this performance in the event.

“I think today went well. Just showing every team I’m versatile,” Mingo said. “I can play any position and show them I can run the whole route tree.”

Since Ole Miss ended the 2022 season at the end of December in the Texas Bowl Mingo began the work towards preparing for this month and his future in the NFL.

After a strong showing at the Combine in Indianapolis, Mingo did not participate in many of the speed drills outside of the 20-yard shuttle (4.27 seconds) and the three-cone drill (7.02). He was happy with his performances in the 40-yard dash and other drills at the Scouting Combine .

“Yeah, I did better than people thought I was going to do,” Mingo said. “I knew once my body got healthy I knew I could do fast times, show them I could run the whole route tree. The combine was easy. So today I only had to do cone drills, show them I could do cone drills, and run routes. I’ve been running routes my whole life so I feel like it was a breeze.”

Mingo had the 16th-best 40 time among receivers at the Scouting Combine with a time of 4.46 seconds.