There have been varying opinions about where former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon might land in next week’s NFL draft. Early speculation consisted of him potentially going undrafted following a video surfacing of an incident of him hitting a woman back in 2014.
But after Mixon himself took multiple visits with NFL teams following the annual combine, other suggestions concluded that he might end up going as early as Round 2 (more on that here).
Now, with the draft just over a week away, it looks like Mixon himself might have to prepare for a long wait to hear his name called.
“At least one source has suggested that Mixon possibly won’t be drafted at all,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on Tuesday.
That’s the tricky situation. How are teams balancing Mixon’s elite-level on-field talent with his off-field issues? As Florio noted, long-time scribe Gil Brandt over at NFL Media omitted the former Sooner from his big board completely. Though, Brandt himself has indicated that’s his personal preference and has nothing to do with what teams have told him.
Mixon put up 1,812 total yards and 15 touchdowns for Oklahoma last season. He’s seen as a first-round talent on the field. Though, with some teams having already likely taken him off their draft board, Mixon can likely expect a tumble next week.
Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that the running back will be selected somewhere between his ceiling in the second round and late on Day 3. Then again, he could very well go undrafted altogether. It’s one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the draft. That’s for sure.