Latest On Joe Mixon
Maybe the most anticipated pro day of the year occurred today when Oklahoma’s event included controversial running back Joe Mixon. Since the former Sooners ball-carrier didn’t receive an opportunity to perform at the Combine, he tested today.
Mixon ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, running one sprint, and performed 21 bench press repetitions of 225 pounds. He posted 35-inch vertical jump. The 21 bench reps would have tied Mixon for sixth among running backs at the Combine, while the 40 time would have placed him in a tie for ninth. Nine running backs surpassed 35 inches on their vertical vaults in Indianapolis (Twitter link via Gil Brandt of NFL.com).
The Panthers came away as one of the interested teams, per David Newton of ESPN.com (on Twitter). They won’t likely be the only one. Four teams — the Bengals, Browns, Lions and Saints — met with Mixon on Tuesday night in Norman, Okla. Other NFL personnel pegged him as a potential first-round talent, though some teams have removed him from their boards due to the 2014 incident that saw a video camera capture him hitting a woman. Others are on the fence.
“He was public enemy No. 1 on campus,” said one AFC scout, via Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. “You heard stories about people staring at him, taking pictures in class, the stuff he’d hear from other fan bases. Some guys [in that situation] would fly off the handle. … And he’s been nothing but a model citizen, a great teammate.”
Mixon amassed 1,812 yards from scrimmage and scored 15 touchdowns last season, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He will follow the likes of Tyreek Hill and Frank Clark in polarizing talents that come into the NFL with this kind of off-field baggage. Tom Pelissero of USA Today expects Mixon to be drafted on Day 2, like Clark was.
Extra Points: Bouye, Landry, Marshall, Mixon
A.J. Bouye‘s staggering rise from unknown RFA to one of the most coveted UFAs on this year’s market did not come completely unbeknownst to the Texans. Houston offered its undrafted gem a multiyear contract in 2016 at a “significant raise,” but Bouye opted to bet on himself, Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports. Bouye signed the low-end RFA tender last March, worth $1.67MM, setting up his dominant breakout campaign. His market is set to be north of $12MM per year as Day 2 of the legal tampering period gets underway, and while the Texans are in on it, they could lose him to a division rival.
Here’s more from around the league with free agency barely a day away.
- The Dolphins have received trade inquiries on wide receiver Jarvis Landry, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes. However, the team has no real interest in trading him. Late in their 2016 season, the Dolphins were working on an extension plan for their slot target, so it’s a good bet the team’s most consistent weapon stays in Miami. The two-time Pro Bowl wideout has posted back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, doing so in two different schemes.
- The prospect of staying in New York would on the surface allow Brandon Marshall to continue being a rare in-season media regular, but Judy Battista of NFL.com notes (on Twitter) the Giants and Jets’ schedules aren’t structured equally. Inside the NFL tapes on Tuesdays, when many teams give their players off days, but Battista points out the Giants work on Tuesdays. This might not be a deal-breaker, though, with Marshall having established himself on the long-running weekly show the past two years and signing with the only other team that would keep him in the city.
- Between Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is set to meet with 24 teams in total as a part of his pro day gauntlet, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. Mixon met with the Bengals, Browns, Lions and Saints on Tuesday night, per Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (via Twitter), in advance of what will be a critical showcase for the controversial running back.
- Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris was arrested for felony possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. A converted basketball player, Harris saw his role increase last season. The third-year pass-catcher saw 476 snaps and caught 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, but Pro Football Focus graded him as its worst full-time tight end.
- Chris Banjo‘s two-year deal with the Saints will pay him $2.6MM with another $500K available through incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Draft Rumors: Allen, Foster, Peppers, Mixon
Reuben Foster enjoyed one of the most eventful Combines without participating in much of it, being sent home after an argument with a hospital worker. The highly touted linebacker attributed the incident to a misunderstanding and will invite representatives of teams to meet with him on March 7 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., according to NFL.com (via Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk). The Crimson Tide’s pro day is March 8. Foster sent a letter to all 32 teams inviting them to meet with him then to discuss his side of the story.
Here’s more from draft-eligible talents, including one of Foster’s teammates.
- Jonathan Allen has hovered around the top 5 of this class throughout mock draft season, but the shoulder issue that’s become known this weekend may cause the Alabama defensive tackle to drop. How far? In speaking with scouts, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears the Crimson Tide standout could plummet to the 12-17 range (Twitter link). Doctors discovered Allen has an arthritic left shoulder, and that’s concerned some NFL personnel. “It’s not really a problem now,” Allen said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “But it might be a problem 15, 20 years down the road.” Allen only performed 21 bench press reps. That number tied for 35th among defensive linemen.
- Jabrill Peppers does not plan to go any farther with his Combine position group, telling media in Indianapolis he views himself as a safety going into the draft. The Michigan talent performed drills as a linebacker at the Combine due to being told he must work out at his most recent college position. “What do I look like? I’m a safety,” Peppers said, via Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. “Free or strong [safety], I’m very fast, I’m stronger than the typical DB, tougher than a typical DB, seeing as I played linebacker in the Big Ten at 200 pounds. So anywhere from nickel, I can play some corner still.” Peppers, who weighed 213 pounds at the Combine, has trained as a safety primarily since Michigan’s Orange Bowl loss. The versatile defender functioned as a strong-side linebacker last season.
- Joe Mixon is unlikely to be on the board when teams convene for Day 3 of the draft, Tom Peliserro of USA Today notes, regarding the growing league consensus on this matter. The Oklahoma running back caught on video punching a woman is viewed as a top-15 or top-20 type of talent. Pelissero notes there are other prospects in the draft teams are more concerned about than Mixon, who saw his defining collegiate moment become easier to scrutinize due to it being caught on camera. Mixon averaged more than 150 yards from scrimmage per game with the 2016 Sooners. Pelissero notes after speaking with some GMs, some teams have him off their board while others are using a wait-and-see approach to the controversial ball-carrier.
- The University of Missouri’s string of defensive line prodigies figures to send the latest into the latter part of the first round or earlier portion of the second. Charles Harris figures to go in that range, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes (on Twitter), after impressing evaluators. Harris follows Sheldon Richardson, Kony Ealy, Markus Golden, Shane Ray and Aldon Smith as coveted pass-rushers from this program. Each of those players was a first- or second-round selection. ESPN.com’s Todd McShay views Harris as the No. 5 defensive end prospect in the draft. He recorded 16 sacks combined in the 2015 and ’16 seasons.
Extra Points: Falcons, Lions, Raiders, Draft
With their contracts soon to expire, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford should each be in line for extensions this offseason. But their respective general managers indicated Wednesday that new deals aren’t imminent.
“I’m saying that eventually, we will address Matt Ryan and his contract,” said the Falcons’ Thomas Dimitroff (via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com). “Right now, our focus is going to be on this year’s class, understanding that Matt is a very important part of our future, as every knows — an extremely important part of our future.”
The Lions’ Bob Quinn took a similar tack, stating (per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com): “We’re kind of taking it one step at a time with the current free-agent class, the current draft class. I mean, these things don’t usually happen in April or May. That’s not a realistic timeline for an extension for a quarterback. But that’s something we do have on the agenda, and we’ll hopefully be able to have some discussions.”
Ryan and Stafford have the same representative, Tom Condon, who figures to help them become two of the league’s highest-paid passers in the coming months. Ryan still has another two years left on the extension he signed in 2013, while Stafford is due to become a free agent after next season.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Like Stafford, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is going into a contract year, though Carr hopes his status changes soon. “I’m a Raider for life,” he told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday (via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com). “I don’t want to play anywhere else. When I got drafted, this is where I wanted to be anyway. I don’t want to go anywhere, ever. They told me they don’t want me to go anywhere, ever. Now it’s about two people who want to be together, and how do we make that happen? We’ll see.” GM Reggie McKenzie made it clear in January that he’s aiming to extend Carr sooner than later.
- Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas is drawing similar buzz to highly touted DE prospects Myles Garrett (Texas A&M) and Jonathan Allen (Alabama) at the combine, tweets Peter Schrager of FOX Sports. All three seem like good bets to end up among the first players to come off the board, with Garrett standing a strong chance to go No. 1 overall. The 6-foot-3, 271-pound Thomas piled up 61 tackles, including 14 for loss, and 8.5 sacks last season.
- Quinn is “disappointed” controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon did not get a combine invite, and the Lions executive isn’t closing the door on drafting him (Twitter link via Justin Rogers of The Detroit News). Mixon is a high-round talent, but his draft stock is in question on account of 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.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Chad Kelly Not Invited To Draft Combine
The NFL invited upwards of 300 players to this year’s draft combine in Indianapolis, but Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly and Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon were not among those on the list. Kelly was not invited to the NFL combine based on off-field issues, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. The same presumably goes for Mixon after video surfaced of him striking a woman.
In accordance with rules passed by the NFL last year, players with felony or misdemeanor convictions are not permitted to attend the combine. All players who wish to participate must submit to a background check. If a player’s background check unearths any conviction involving violence, he is turned away.
After suffering a a torn ACL and lateral meniscus in the fall, it’s not certain that Kelly would have been able to participate in combine drills even if he was invited. If Kelly is healthy enough to work out between now and late April, it’s a good bet that he’ll be able to get interested teams to watch him up close. That will go a long way towards dictating where Kelly might go in the draft. Recently, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller wrote that Kelly is “still an intriguing quarterback prospect in a bad overall class.” Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report heard back in November that the Ole Miss product was being viewed by evaluators as a Day 3 prospect.
We also have conflicting reports on Mixon. One area scout assigned to the Sooners told Albert Breer of The MMQB recently that he’s confident some team will weather the PR storm and draft him. Hours later, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted that Mixon is still undraftable in the eyes of many teams.
Other notable prospects left without invites include Kansas State linebacker Elijah Lee, Ole Miss wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow, Michigan offensive linemen Erik Magnuson and Kyle Kalis, Baylor receiver Ishmael Zamora, and Houston linebacker Steven Taylor.
Draft Notes: Garrett, Trubisky, Mixon
Myles Garrett is a candidate to picked first-overall in the upcoming draft, but the Texas A&M defensive end is hoping a specific team with a late first-rounder will make a deal to select him. In a video published on ESPN.com, Garrett urged Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to make a deal to acquire the talented defensive lineman.
“I’m speaking to you, Jerry,” Garrett said (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “Mr. [coach Jason] Garrett, make it happen. Dak Prescott is leading our team right now. I need you to take Tony Romo, take a couple picks and give them to Cleveland so you can pick me up. Please. I’d love to play in Dallas. Just make it happen.”
Of course, following those comments, Garrett had to backtrack and clarify that he’d be fine being selected by the Browns with the top pick in the draft.
“People might say they’re this, they’re that or I made a comment about cold weather and they kind of put it toward Cleveland,” Garrett explained. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’ll play wherever they put me, and it’s about your mindset. If you go out there with a mindset that you’re going to turn things around, you can make that contagious and people start to believe in it, you can turn into a winning program wherever you go.”
Let’s take a look at some other notes pertaining to this year’s draft class…
- While Alabama’s Cam Robinson and Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk were previously considered to be the best offensive tackles in the draft, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller believes Utah lineman Garett Bolles is now the top prospect at the position. While the 24-year-old’s age may hurt his draft stock, Miller points to Robinson’s lack of production and Ramczyk’s injury concerns as reasons why Bolles could be the first offensive tackle selected. In fact, the writer believes the Utah lineman could be taken in the first 10 or 15 picks.
- While there are questions regarding the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft, one general manager told Miller that UNC signal-caller Mitch Trubisky is “a top-five lock.” While Trubisky is competing with Deshaun Watson and DeShone Kizer to be the first quarterback selected, Miller believes most teams regard the UNC product as the top prospect at the position.
- Alex Marvez of The Sporting News points out (via Twitter) that only 16 quarterbacks were invited to this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. There are generally 19 or 20 signal-callers who participate in the event, and Marvez believes the low numbers are indicative of the “projected quality at the position.”
- Despite some recent talk to the contrary, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says that many teams already view Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon as undraftable. The offensive weapon certainly has the skill, as he finished this past season with 1,274 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on only 187 carries. Of course, troubling off-the-field issues have clouded Mixon’s draft status.
- Ole Miss wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow was not invited to the combine, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). Stringfellow pleaded guilty to assault following a 2014 altercation, and he was also charged with disorderly conduct in early 2015. The wideout finished this past season with 46 catches for 716 yards.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Albert Breer On Draft, Mixon, Trubisky
Could teams strike gold in this year’s draft? Those in the know tell Albert Breer of The MMQB that this is an exceptionally deep class.
“Depth-wise, it’s great,” said one AFC executive. “What I like about it is, if we do our job, and have faith in our scouts, we can get starters into the fifth round.”
“It’s a very good draft,” a top personnel executive for an NFC team added. “If you’re in a position like Cleveland is with a lot of picks—and you still gotta pick the right guys—but it’s an excellent draft. Very deep across the board.”
Breer’s entire column is worth a read, but here’s a look at some of the highlights:
- There has been a lot of talk about Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon going undrafted, but one area scout is insistent that he’ll be taken. “It needs to be the right market, a team that can handle the onslaught, the right PR staff, because you’ll have to weather the storm,” said one area scout assigned to the Sooners. “But the guy the Chiefs drafted (Tyreek Hill), Joe Mixon isn’t half the douchebag that guy was. … You’d have to search to find people that don’t like him. Maybe the parking-lot attendant. Everyone there loves him. And I believe them.”
- This year’s class of quarterbacks might not be as weak as advertised, according to some officials. “It’s a good quarterback class,” said our NFC exec. “Realistically, all five of those guys (Mitch Trubisky, DeShaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, Patrick Mahomes, and Davis Webb) go in the first two rounds.” That’s a bold prediction on the part of that anonymous exec since there have been only five drafts (2014, ’12, ’11, ’07, ’06) since 2000 in which five QBs went inside the first two rounds.
- Meanwhile, it sounds like Trubisky is still the leader of the pack. “I’ll be shocked if Trubisky’s not the first one off the board,” said one AFC exec. One AFC scout is confident that he’s a “top two or three pick.” However, as Breer notes, the UNC QB doesn’t project as a superstar and it remains to be seen whether a team is willing to burn a top pick on someone who projects to be more of an Andy Dalton than a Tom Brady.
- The strength of this year’s class will be in the secondary and at running back, Breer writes. There’s also depth when it comes to wide receiver and tight end. Where this class is lacking, however, is on the offensive line. NFL execs tell Breer that they are worried this is not a one-time instance, but a sign of things to code. The spread offense and practice restrictions, they say, are hurting the quality of college offensive linemen.
Draft Notes: Mixon, Tight Ends, Giants
A pair of notable college players will not be showcasing their talents at the NFL scouting combine. ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan reports that Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon and Baylor wide receiver Ishmael Zamora were not invited to the event.
Both players have had their share of issues. Mixon was suspended for the entire 2014 season after having punched a woman, while Zamora was suspended three games this past season after videos emerged of him beating his dog. The ESPN report indicates that it’s uncertain whether these “off-the-field troubles were factors in their omission” from the combine.
The Sooners running back finished the 2016 campaign with 1,274 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on only 187 carries. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes Mixon is among the top-five most-talented running backs in this year’s class (behind Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, D’Onta Foreman and Christian McCaffrey). Meanwhile, Zamora appeared in 10 games this past season, compiling 63 catches for 809 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Let’s take a look at some more draft notes…
- A trio of University of Washington defensive backs are garnering plenty of interest from NFL teams. Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com writes that Budda Baker, Sidney Jones and Kevin King have been intriguing front offices. Jones is generally regarded to be one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, while Baker is projected to be taken outside of the first round.
- USC wideout Adoree Jackson is a “lock” to be a first-round pick, writes Pauline. His teammate, offensive tackle Zach Banner, is projected to be drafted in the fourth round.
- While many scouts believe Alabama’s O.J. Howard is the best tight end in the class, Pauline writes that South Alabama’s Gerald Everett isn’t far behind. The talented playmaker impressed coaches at the Senior Bowl, and Pauline notes that he’s currently the top tight end on the Giants‘ draft board.
- One prospect who didn’t look good during the Senior Bowl was Troy offensive tackle Antonio Garcia, with one scout comparing him to “a deer in headlights.” Pauline notes that the lineman looked unsure of himself during team practices.
Draft Rumors: Kaaya, Trubisky, King, Mixon
At least one NFL scout believes that Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya made a “huge mistake” by declaring for the 2017 draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. In fact, nearly every source at the Senior Bowl thinks that Kaaya will still be on the board on Day 3 of the draft, when Rounds 4-7 take place. The Bears, for one, have already been linked to Kaaya, whom some scouts have called the smartest of this year’s QB crop.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Several NFL teams are moving Iowa defensive back Desmond King from their cornerback boards to their safety lists, per Pauline. King, whom Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Insider link) ranks as the sixth-best CB available, has teams worried due to his lack of speed, which could be negated by shifting to the back end. King manged 14 interceptions and 33 passes defensed during his four-year run with the Hawkeyes.
- Clubs are split on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky due to his lack of starting experience, Pauline writes in a separate article. Trubisky started only 13 games, all in 2016, before deciding to enter the draft, but is still likely to become a first-round selection. The Jets are reportedly high on the Tar Heel signal-caller, but Pauline said that enthusiasm has been somewhat “tempered,” though New York is still among the cadre of teams that will consider Trubisky.
- Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon did not receive a first-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board as he previously stated, and in fact, did not receive a grade at all as Oklahoma did not submit his name to the committee, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Mixon, of course, was caught on video striking a woman during an altercation in a restaurant, and some evaluators believe he may now go undrafted. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, however, hears Mixon could be selected as high as the second round.
- Miller passes on quite a few more notes in his must-read Scouting Notebook, including the fact that Florida’s Quincy Wilson has surpassed Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore on many cornerback boards, and that scout are infatuated with the depth of this year’s running back class.
Draft Rumors: Mixon, Quarterbacks, Lamp
Earlier today, the NFL announced 103 underclassmen have officially declared for the 2017 NFL draft. While that figure represents a small decrease from 2016, the fact remains that a decent number of those prospects won’t get selected in April. If recent trends hold, roughly 30% of underclassmen will go undrafted this year, meaning that ~30 collegiate players will need to rely on UDFA contracts this spring, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Although he considered returning to Oklahoma after a video surfaced of him striking a female, running back Joe Mixon officially declared for the draft earlier this month. While some personnel men believe Mixon won’t be drafted, other scouts tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports otherwise. One executive called Mixon the third-best back in the draft and predicted that he will be chosen, while another evaluator summed up the paradox of a player like Mixon: “It’s still a bottom-line business. It’s people saying, ‘I’m paid to win games. Either I take Mixon or someone else takes him and beats me with him.’ That’s the business. I know people don’t want to hear that, but it’s how some guys get drafted.”
- Scouts continue to believe the 2017 crop of quarterbacks is one of the worst in recent memory, as one personnel director tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that the scribe has “way too many” quarterbacks (three) in his top-30 overall players. Similarly, an AFC executive tells Bucky Brooks of NFL.com that he’s “scared to death” by this year’s signal-callers. “They have talent and upside, but there aren’t any sure things in this [draft] class,” said the VP of player personnel.
- Western Kentucky guard Forrest Lamp could soon become a household name, as one scout compared to him to the Cowboys’ Zack Martin, one of the best interior lineman in the NFL, according to Miller. Lamp, who, like Martin, played tackle in college but will shift inside once he reaches the pros, graded as one of the best offensive lineman in 2015 per Pro Football Focus‘ metrics, and should have only improved since.