Joe Mixon Declares For NFL Draft

Controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon will forgo his senior season and enter this year’s NFL draft, he announced Thursday. While Mixon will be one of the most talented rushers available this spring, a slew of teams will keep him off their boards because of his off-field history, tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report.

Joe Mixon (vertical)

The reason Mixon’s draft stock is in question stems from a disturbing July 2014 physical altercation that led Oklahoma to redshirt him that season. Mixon was caught on video striking a fellow student, Alicia Molitor, who he claims used a racial slur and spit in his face. As a result, Mixon was placed on probation for one year and ordered to release the video. After making the footage public last month, Mixon’s attorney, Blake Johnson, issued a written apology on his client’s behalf.

“Mr. Mixon asked us to once again say he is sorry for the way he reacted that night. He has apologized publicly to Ms. Molitor, her friends, his family, teammates and the University,” Johnson wrote. “He hopes that his voluntary release of these recordings will help put this matter to rest.”

Mixon, who debuted with the Sooners in 2015, was a highly productive member of their offense in two seasons. The soon-to-be 21-year-old averaged 6.7 yards per carry on 301 attempts and piled up 26 touchdowns (17 rushing, nine receiving). He’s coming off a season in which he ran for 1,274 yards, scored 15 times (10 on the ground, five through the air) and caught 37 passes.

View Comments (24)