Broncos WR Marvin Mims scores first NFL touchdown on 60-yard snag

Marvin Mims is on the board. During the Denver Broncos’ matchup with the Washington Commanders on Sunday, the rookie wide receiver hauled in a 60-yard touchdown pass to give the Broncos a 14-6 lead.

The Broncos selected Mims in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In Denver’s season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, Mims recorded two receptions for nine yards. Clearly, he’s already off to a better start today.

Mims was a standout at Oklahoma in college. The 5-foot-11 wideout led the Sooners in receiving every season that he was in Norman, finishing with 123 catches for 2,398 yards and 20 touchdowns. In his final season with the program, he ranked second in the Big 12 with 1,083 receiving yards on 54 catches along with six touchdowns to earn first-team all-conference honors.

The perfect moon ball from Russ! He finds the rookie Marvin Mims for a TD.

📺: #WASvsDEN on CBS⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/ij3y2lDs2u

— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023

Marvin Mims meeting expectations

For those familiar with Mims’ game, his highlight plays are no surprise. Ahead of the 2023 NFL campaign, NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter has projected the best and worst case scenarios, along with statistical predictions for some fascinating rookies.

As it pertained to former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims, who’s now cutting his teeth in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, Reuter predicted the second round pick to accumulate 45 receptions, 575 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Solid numbers for the rookie.

Additionally, Reuter believes in Mims’ best-case scenario, he can earn a starting job due to Tim Patrick’s season-ending injury, and become a household name in Denver.

“Tim Patrick’s Achilles injury opened the door for Mims to earn a starting job,” wrote Reuter. “The former Oklahoma star asserts himself as a big-play receiver, as increased time playing with the first-team offense strengthens the relationship between the rookie and quarterback Russell Wilson.”

As for his worst-case scenario, Reuter believes if Wilson is unable to rebound in 2023, it could spell disaster for the former Sooners wide receiver.

“Wilson is unable to rebound from his disappointing 2022 season and the Denver offense does not make the jump some are anticipating in Year 1 of the Sean Payton era,” explained Reuter. “The presence of Marquez Callaway, who is familiar with Payton’s offense from his days in New Orleans, could also limit Mims’ touches.”

Alas, it remains to be seen what Marvin Mims’ impact is on the Broncos in 2023, but he could make a name for himself as soon as his rookie season if all goes well.

On3’s Steve Samra also contributed to this article.