Before the second round of the 2023 NFL draft commenced, Steve Smith Sr. tipped the Carolina Panthers off about a certain wide receiver. And that may be because this certain wide receiver, who the team did end up taking just hours later, has that dog in him.
On Wednesday’s episode of his podcast Cut To It, the franchise legend—along with co-host Coley Mick and national NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe—talked about some potential fantasy gems for the 2023 season. When the conversation wandered off into Smith Sr.’s neck of the woods in Charlotte, he had the following to say about rookie wideout Jonathan Mingo:
“Jonathan Mingo—he’s . . . uh . . . I don’t know how tall he is because everybody’s taller than me,” he said jokingly. “But he’s 222 pounds, and his fluidity is a lot better than what I expected. I thought he was a stiff guy. That boy gets in and out of breaks, he’s very physical, very humble. Southern kid who isn’t really gonna say anything, but he’s gonna give ya hips a little bit and let you know, ‘I’m not no average rookie and you’re not gonna punk me.'”
Coincidentally, Wolfe—just two weeks ago—reported something quite similar about the second-rounder. He, from mandatory minicamp, noted that Carolina’s coaching staff was also pleasantly surprised by Mingo’s fluidity and movement at his size.
Wolfe then asked Smitty the all-important question—does Mingo have that dog in him?
“Oh, he has that dog in him,” Smith Sr. replied. “But the difference in his dog—he’ll bite you.”
Well, if he bites, it may be best to keep the Mingo away from any of your babies.
