When asked how opposing defenses can keep Frisco Lone Star senior wide receiver and Stanford verbal commit Marvin Mims Jr. in check, Rangers head coach Jeff Rayburn did not mince words.
“I don’t know if there’s a way to stop Marvin Mims because he is so effective in so many different aspects,” Rayburn told Texas Scorecard.
Since he first suited up for Lone Star two years ago after transferring from nearby Frisco Legacy Christian Academy, Mims has given the Rangers a versatile deep threat who frustrates defensive backs. The 5-foot-11-inch, 161-pound wideout, who caught more than 25 touchdowns and amassed approximately 2,300 yards as an underclassman, is on course for another memorable, prolific season in the deep blue and silver.
“The first three weeks, he’s absolutely lit it up,” Rayburn said. “This is what we’ve seen out of him for three years now. We still think that his best football is in front of him, but he’s doing special things right now.”
Lone Star headed into district competition with a 3-0 mark as of press time. Its resounding 30-17 victory over reigning Class 5A Division I Dallas Highland Park on the night of Sept. 13, which snapped the Scots’ Texas-best 33-game winning streak, was a classic example of Mims’ hard work, talent and athleticism. He hauled in 10 catches for 219 yards and two scores and chipped in 84 return yards in the historic road win.
Rayburn does not consider the win an upset, praising Mims for “[getting] us going early on.” Mims helped set the tone for the night with a 45-yard touchdown from sophomore quarterback Garret Rangel, who stepped in for injured senior signal-caller Chandler Galban.
“He got us going early, and he got us going often,” the coach said of Mims.
Prior to the game, Mims sought inspiration from a very good friend who, like him, is one of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex’s best receivers. He watched film on Rockwall wide receiver and Ohio State commit Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the Yellowjackets’ season-opening loss to Highland Park
“Marvin is a student of the game,” Rayburn explained. “We discussed that his and Jaxon’s game are very similar. Highland Park was going to play Marvin very similar to how they played Jaxon. Marvin did a tremendous job studying and preparing. That way he knew what to expect on game night.”
It is safe to say that Mims makes life easy for Rangel, the third quarterback to throw to the three-year letterman.
“They really developed a big chemistry,” Rayburn said. “Garret was our backup as a freshman last year, so he got a chance to work with Marvin last year. … They spent so much time together developing that chemistry. They really work well together and that’s the big reason why you see that success this year so far.”
The coach commended Mims, a team captain, for inspiring his teammates to work harder.
“What he brings on a daily basis is not just his athletic ability but his character and his leadership,” Rayburn said. “He sets the tone and the example for how to practice on a daily basis. He gets out there and gives his best every single day. That kind of transcends to the rest of the guys on the team. He’s very conscious about making sure he affects his teammates in a positive way. He’s an extension of our coaching staff with his leadership.”
Rayburn calls Stanford a “great fit” for Mims.
“Marvin is a tremendous student athlete,” Rayburn said. “He works so hard in the classroom and on the field, it’s only fitting that he goes to an academic institution that plays an extremely high level of football like Stanford.”
