HEADLINES

Joe Mixon

Chad Kelly Not Invited To Draft Combine

February 15th, 2017 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

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.Chad Kelly (vertical)

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

February 11th, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

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

February 10th, 2017 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

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

February 4th, 2017 at 9:04am CST by Ben Levine

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

January 27th, 2017 at 7:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

January 20th, 2017 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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.

Joe Mixon Declares For NFL Draft

January 5th, 2017 at 6:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

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.

Draft Notes: Mixon, Trubisky, Fournette

December 21st, 2016 at 3:04pm CST by Zachary Links

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:

Draft Notes: Fournette, McCaffrey, Mixon

December 7th, 2016 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s a two-team race for the top pick in the 2017 draft, writes Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. The 0-12 Browns essentially control their draft destiny, as the team has an 85.1-percent chance at the top pick (they’ve essentially clinched a top-5 pick). According to Seifert, the only thing standing in the Browns way is Robert Griffin III, although it’s unlikely the embattled quarterback will guide the team to any kind of winning streak.

The 1-11 49ers also loom as a contender for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, with Seifert giving them a 14.1-percent chance at the top pick and a 99.7-percent chance at a top-5 pick. The organization will likely be making their highest pick since they drafted Alex Smith first overall in 2005.

Let’s take a look at some other draft notes from around the league…

  • Is LSU running back Leonard Fournette as good as Todd Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft? “[He’s] better,” two high level evaluators told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • NFL teams are “softening” on Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, who could end up being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft, reports Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). Mixon, who was involved in a physical altercation in 2014, claims he was provoked by a female who used a racial slur and spit in his face. Video of the incident is set to be released later this month, according to Nolan Clay of the Oklahoman, which could shed light on the episode.
  • We learned last night that Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to declare for next year’s draft. The talented offensive weapon rushed for 1,596 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report declared him a “lock” to be a top-50 draft pick.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.