Healthy once again, Jonathan Mingo ready to become a leader in the Ole Miss locker room

ATLANTA — Nearly 10 months ago, Ole Miss receiver Jonathan Mingo suffered a season-ending injury when he went down with a broken foot during practice.

Now, Mingo is back to full strength and looking to become a top star for Ole Miss in 2022.

Mingo went down ahead of the Alabama game in the fourth week of the season, leaving him sidelined and the receiving corps down one of its key threats.

After a long fall, winter and spring Mingo arrived to SEC Media Days on Monday looking healthy and ready to get back on the field tomorrow if he could.

“It’s just something you’ve got to keep your head high,” Mingo said. “Prayed about it and know God will put you on the right path so I’d be ready for the season. I’m not mad about it. Just something you got to go through. Everything happens for a reason. Just anxious to get back on the field.”

Mingo was held out for most of the spring practices as a ‘precaution,’ as he put it, though he said he did workout as much as possible and allowed. He did not participate in any of the intrasquad scrimmages or the Grove Bowl.

Being given the all clear and the clean bill of healthy, Mingo is ready to get back into the mix and add more depth to a recievers’ room that worked hard to restock the cupboard.

Ole Miss lost its top three receivers in Braylon Sanders, Dontario Drummond and Jachour Pearson. Mingo was primed to be the fourth major contributor last year but now he has the chance to become a leader along with transfers Jordan Watkins, Jaylon Robinson and other returning Rebels.

The depth of the receiving corps has been filled after hitting the transfer portal, including Mississippi State’s Malik Heath coming from Starkville to Oxford this month.

“That’s definitely a role I’m willing to fulfill,” Mingo said of becoming a leader in the receivers’ room. “I’m just eagerly waiting to get back on the field and just show the younger guys how it’s supposed to be done.”

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The addition of Heath is one that maybe turned some heads when the former Bulldog announced his commitment to the Rebels for this season.

Both Mingo and Heath are familiar with one another since before their college days. The former Brandon Bulldog is excited to team with his friend this fall.

“Me and Malik, we’ve been training together since high school,” Mingo said. “So, it’s like having another brother on the team. So it’s fun having more guys on the team. Having more receivers and adding more depth.

“Malik, he reminds me a lot like Braylon. Always has good energy. Never a negative day when Malik’s around. He brings good energy to the receiver room and has a dog mentality.”

Chef Kiffin 👨‍🍳@ogmingo1k | @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/2S19LDsJH3

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) July 18, 2022

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While there is a strong comfort level with Mingo among his teammates in the receivers room it will take some time for him to get used to the person throwing him the football this season.

For the first time since he has been at Ole Miss, Mingo will not be catching passes fro m Matt Corral. Corral is now preparing to play on Sundays as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Mingo is now having to adjust to life without Corral and a new quarterback.

It is not known yet who the starting quarterback will be between Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer as the quarterback battle is carrying into fall camp, but Mingo is ready to help out his signal caller.

“It’s not really tough. It’s the same offense,” Mingo said. “I know the progressions and their timing. It’s just different because Matt’s not throwing the ball. When Matt throws it to you you can tell he’s really throwing it to you because he’s got some different type zip.

“Luke and Jaxson have definitely been trying to fill that role. Make sure they’re leaders on the team and get everybody’s respect.”