With The First Pick
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Oakland Raiders Can Steal Bell-Cow in 2017 Draft

By Carl Cockerham

Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon (25) runs the ball against Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) in the third quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon (25) runs the ball against Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) in the third quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joe Mixon is a 1st-round talent that isn’t even on some of draft boards. So the Oakland Raiders can possibly steal him in the mid-late rounds.

The Top-3 running backs in the 2017 NFL Draft are Dalvin Cook Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey. And right below McCaffrey at No. 4 is Joe Mixon of Oklahoma. Mixon just made it known Thursday that he intends to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.

The 6’1″, 226-pounder runs with great vision, patience, speed, power and elusiveness. Mixon is also a great receiver out of the backfield and sometimes splits out wide. He’s also solid in pass protection, able to pick up blitzing linebackers.

This season for the Sooners, he rushed for 1,274 yards on only 187 carries (6.8-yard average). He also had 37 catches for 536 receiver yards to show he is an every-down player. Whatever team is out there in need of a bell-cow, he’s the next guy down from the Top 3 prospects.

So what’s the problem?

He has some off-the field issues stemming from  a plea agreement on a misdemeanor assault charge He struck a female student at a campus deli as a freshman in 2014. But a video of the incident clearly shows the female pushing, slapping and spitting on him first.

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He also claims that she dropped the N-bomb on him. Amelia Molitor, the victim in this case is no saint herself with record that includes using and selling drugs and DUI. This is in no way to say that Mixon justified in doing what he did to her.

But it’s not a domestic violence case and it shows he doesn’t go around hitting women.  The third-year sophomore took a redshirt in 2014 while on suspension and probation for a year. He’s been on the straight-and-narrow for a while now and deserves his second chance.

The Raiders could use a player like Mixon so it might as well be them that gives him that chance. They may want to start considering him in Round 4. The Raiders were waiting to take Tyreek Hill, who had domestic violence issues, last year.

But the Kansas City Chiefs took him in Round 5 last year before the Raiders could. He’s from the Bay Area so GM Reggie McKenzie and company can do the due diligence on him. If he checks out and the Raiders get him, they will have  their triplets!

Along with quarterback Derek Carr and receiver Amari Cooper, Mixon could do his work behind a great offensive line. Adding Mixon could make the Raiders contenders for the foreseeable future.

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