The DA Draft Buzz: December 19th

RS12

Well-Known Member
Messages
32,528
Reaction score
29,874
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.

I broke down Garcia’s film last week and was incredibly impressed. At 6-6, he offers great length, athleticism and footwork. He’s a solid technician that plays nasty football and shows tremendous skill in pass protection. Garcia is an average run blocker and needs to improve the strength of his base. I later fielded additional opinions on Garcia and was shocked to find how highly regarded he is around the league.

Several teams grade him as one of the top three offensive tackles in the draft, with one team believing he’s the best offensive tackle from the senior class. The next month is critical for Garcia, as this Friday he faces off against Tarell Basham when Troy meets Ohio in the Dollar General Bowl. This will be one of the better battles between top-rated prospects during the entire bowl season. Garcia is also slated to play in the Senior Bowl in January, as is Basham.

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