Draft Notes: Mixon, Trubisky, Fournette

Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon was/is thinking about entering the 2017 draft, but since the video of him striking a woman has been released, GMs around the league have told people close to him that he won’t get drafted, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com writes. Beyond that, they say there’s even a chance he won’t be signed as a free agent and he may not even get a combine invite if he declares. At this point, Pauline says he should return to OU – if that’s even an option for him.

Just two weeks ago, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report heard that teams were “softening” on Mixon and the first round was still in reach for him. Apparently, teams are changing their tune after viewing the video.

Here’s a look at the latest draft news:

• In a weak quarterback class, UNC’s Mitch Trubisky is the only first round lock, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link) hears. That means other QBs like Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer could slide to Day 2. Some scouts are saying that this is the worst crop of quarterbacks since the 2013 draft.
• Running back Leonard Fournette announced (Twitter link) that he has signed on with Roc Nation for representation. The Jay-Z branded agency has been steadily gaining ground in the NFL and the LSU star is their latest big get. Fournette declared for the draft earlier this month and started a minor controversy when he announced that he will be skipping LSU’s bowl game in order to protect his injured ankle. Fournette is widely projected to be a top ten pick this year and two anonymous evaluators recently opined that he is a better talent than Todd Gurley.
• Antonio Garcia of Troy and Martinas Rankin of Mississippi State are two offensive tackles to watch in this year’s draft, Pauline writes. Several teams grade Garcia as one of the top three tackles in this year’s class, with one team believing he’s the best tackle from the senior group. Rankin, meanwhile, still has a year of eligibility, but teams feel that he’ll be a Top 75 pick if he declares. So far this year, he has lined up against seven potential top 75 prospects and he allowed only 1.5 sacks.