Would you support the Vikings drafting Mixon?
The marks from analysts are nearly unanimous: Among the most talented running backs in this very talented draft class is Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon.
Under normal circumstances, that would mean he could be a target for a majority of NFL teams this offseason, including the Minnesota Vikings.
The rub, however, is that there is nothing normal about Mixon’s circumstances as he enters the NFL and the team that brings him aboard will be bracing for some serious backlash.
Mixon’s notable off-field transgression was made very public when security footage of him violently striking a young woman in an Oklahoma restaurant. The court of public opinion has largely shunned Mixon following the incident, as well as not getting invited to the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine, but out of fairness here is what he had to say for himself to The MMQB earlier this month:
“Because at the end of the day, I’d never gotten in trouble before that point, and never after.You can’t judge someone on a mistake they made. I’m sure you’ve made mistakes, I’m sure everyone’s made mistakes. It’s what you do after and what you learn from it. It’s not like it’s been a string of things after that incident. It was a one-time thing. I made a bad decision, I made a bad mistake.
If I could take it back, I would. I can’t. So I have to keep moving forward, doing the right things. I can’t keep worrying about something that happened three years ago.
After missing the opportunity to perform in front of the NFL’s scouting collective in Indianapolis, Mixon instead showed his stuff to a crowd gathered for Oklahoma’s pro day on Wednesday. The Vikings were heavily represented and reportedly met with Mixon.
Mixon further complicated his Draft standing by outperforming, during his pro day, all of the running backs that attended the Combine in Indianapolis. He ran the forty-yard dash in 4.43 seconds, according to USA Today, but his straight-line speed wasn’t the only thing that flashed today.
It was surely his face-to-face conversations with Mike Zimmer and other NFL decision-makers that will ultimately decide his Draft Weekend fate, however. It has also been pointed out the Vikings have a connection to Mixon through running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu:
The Vikings have a perceived need at running back, with both Adrian Peterson and Matt Asiata expected to find new homes this offseason, but they also do not currently possess a first round draft pick due to the Sam Bradford trade. Their first selection, if they don’t move around via a trade, comes at 48th overall in the second round.
So, using the poll just below, and also the comments section where your voice can be heard, I ask you to weigh in on how you would feel if the Vikings took the Draft’s best running back who comes with baggage caught on tape.
View Comments
This is the first time I've read anyone say he's the most talented in this class of backs. I've heard it said that he's a first round talent but not better then Fournette or Cook. I didn't vote because my answer doesn't fit into any of your four options but I would absolutely take him, just not before the third round. Fact is, I would welcome either of OU's backs and have liked Perine for a few years. In any case, it's a good talker!
I'm doing my own round by round mock draft so peek my site if you wanna hear some of the players and positions I'm hoping get addressed!
You're 100% correct... I worded that very poorly initially and have fixed it. Thank you.
I like Mixon or Foreman..... Or BOTH!!!
Wouldn't that be something if we drafted Foreman? And it would be 44 years from drafting Chuck!
I like him with our first pick in the 3rd round....Really depends on how our FA does in fixing the OL....Definitely would not trade up for him...And really thinking that with all the RBs in this draft...That rushing to get him seems a bit high (though clearly it depends on who has been taken...If all the mid 2nd round OLs guys are gone by where we pick and we have Mixon as a low 1st round/high 2nd round guy...Then yeah..Pick him...
Just hard to want to pay full draft value for him given his situation and our situation (unless largely fixed in FA)
First of all for all the people that were up in arms that Spielman and Zimmer were at the Pro-day relax. The Oklahoma pro-day is a big one, it wasn't just about Mixon (Perine is another solid option), although he was the most important prospect to get a sit-down with. As far as drafting him, I tend to think they are doing their due diligence so if he's there on the third day of the draft, they can pull the trigger. I'm not using my first pick on the guy with that video out there, especially when there are so many other options in the draft this year. I'm all for second chances, but punching a woman in the face and breaking her jaw isn't something you just brush off. Honestly I think a team like Seattle will probably pull the trigger on him before the Vikings would. I would be okay with using a day three pick on the guy if they are comfortable with what the initial fallout will be and they truly think this was just a complete lack of judgement moment from a young man. It was a very odd situation in that he didn't know this woman, it wasn't a long term domestic violence issue, it was literally two strangers duking it out. How on Earth he thought punching her in the face was an appropriate response to her slap attack I don't know and find pretty darn concerning. I would rather see them draft a big back like Perrine and a shifty small guy like Cohen in the mid to late rounds and take a pass on Mixon, but I'm not completely against it.
As someone who has made mistakes in the past, I understand where Mixon is coming from with the quote shown above. I also understand the "backlash" factor, but I really think our society is too over-reactive. We have to constantly try to prove to people that we're "above the fray" and I think it sucks. And the people we're "proving" it to don't really matter in the long run. I don't think his "incident" has any bearing on the draft-or-don't-draft decision. If this was an isolated incident in an otherwise normal life, it's not an issue for me. He will be on a short leash, obviously, but if he can handle that, then he should be in the mix for us, if available when it fits in with our draft needs.
An underwhelming day one of FA to mend the OLine. I expected 2 signings for the line yesterday. Now there's nobody left to consider an upgrade except the injured Lang. Vikings will have to either be aggressive and move into Round 1 to get a quality OL, or work a trade. If we work a trade we can take Mixon with our first pick. If we have to draft OL, he likely won't be there when we get our second pick.
Yes, was 2 years ago. He was punished. Would require he speak out as a voice for more awareness on issues & treatmnts of violence toward women and anger control therapy.
Pretty disgusting survey results, tbh. Lots of good/better RB prospects who don't hit women.
In your indignation you may dismiss what I'm about to say but I'll say it anyway.
1) woMAN. One. Singular. That's not a dismissal of what he did even if those rules are only applied to the masculine percentage. Woman are allowed to go off however they want with no recourse, and then complain about inequality...it's laughable. Back to the matter at hand, he did it a single time, years ago and has never made the same choice or at least been found to have made the same decision. Which bring me to point #2.
2) I may be wrong in this presumption, which would be cool, but I'm thinking you're not a high end athletic talent who has eyes and cameras on you at any and all times. If you were, then you may lose a job for something you did years ago in a moment of rashness or a night of drunkness or rage. You and I have the benefit of anonymity from the things that we do, so if You don't want the guy on the team, you allowed to have that opinion and I see the validity in it but if you're going to throw a stone, make sure you're not in a glass house.
I just think that in a RB draft class that has this much talent you don't need to draft Mixon with all of that bad PR baggage that comes with him. Samaje Perine, his teammate at Oklahoma will be there for us in the 3rd rd. Take Dan Feeney at RG in the 2nd. Win in the trenches.
TJ Watt is still my first pick in this years draft. Ranked #48 overall before rhe combine. Now quickly rising. I believe he is a better athlete than his older brother JJ. Move up to get him. RB later.