There's no telling which NFL club will take a chance on Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon in the 2017 NFL Draft -- some already have reportedly eliminated him from consideration, while others are taking a much closer look. But while the city of destination is anyone's guess, there is more of a consensus on the round in which he'll be selected.
Several NFL general managers and scouts have told NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah in the last two days that Mixon will be a second-round pick.
Character concerns about Mixon, stemming from a 2014 incident in which he punched a female OU student, have damaged his draft value. A one-year suspension from the OU football team and the criminal case -- a misdemeanor charge of acts resulting in gross injury that was settled on a plea deal -- are behind Mixon, but the thorough evaluations by NFL clubs into his character are ongoing with the NFL draft about a month away. Those evaluations have been made all the more challenging because Mixon's conduct prevented him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine.
From purely a football standpoint, Mixon is arguably as talented as anyone in what is considered a strong draft class for running backs. NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew believes he's the best, and his pro day performance earlier this month was said to be a "Round 1 workout." The New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers are among the clubs that have hosted Mixon on a visit or have scheduled him for one.
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