The DA Draft Buzz: December 19th

[RS12]

The video tape of Joe Mixon punching an Oklahoma student has garnered the lion’s share of the headlines and many are asking, “What’s next?” For months now, I’ve been informed the OU running back was leaning towards entering the draft, as those in his inner circle asked for my opinion. I was consistently steadfast in my belief Mixon should return to Oklahoma for a variety of reasons. Since the release of the video, general managers around the league have told those close to Mixon he won’t get drafted, there’s a possibility he won’t be signed as a free agent and he may not even receive an invitation to the combine should he declare for the draft.

His best and possibly only option at this point is returning to Oklahoma, if that’s even possible. There were two consistent themes throughout my conversations on the topic this weekend: Mixon was given bad advice staying silent over the issue and it would’ve been better had the tape been released two years ago.

Two offensive tackles few are talking about could impact the position next April -- Antonio Garcia of Troy and Martinas Rankin of Mississippi State.

http://draftanalyst.com/da-draft-buzz-december-19th

 

[RS12]

Seventeen scouts took in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night, and most were on hand to watch Louisiana-Lafayette running back Elijah McGuire, Rajin’ Cajun receiver Al Riles and defensive lineman Xavier Thigpen of Southern Mississippi.

Scouts were blown away with the athleticism and quickness of Thigpen. The junior struggled with an ankle injury through a good part of last season, which depressed his production. Sources close to the situation tell me they feel it’s about 90 percent that Thigpen enters the draft and that he’ll put up freakish numbers if invited to the combine.