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Corey Dillon.
Yeah, that's right. I went there.
That's the last time I was this excited about a rookie running back. And that wasn't until he ran for a then rookie record 246 yards against the Houston Oilers.
And I'm not the only one giddy over Mixon's potential. John Sheeran, Dr. Hodgie and Jordan Harris are all pretty hyped. Watch the following video to find out why:
Joe Mixon
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 228 pounds
College: Oklahoma
Hometown: Oakley, CA
Experience: Rookie
Cap Status
Mixon signed a four-year, $5,450,174 contract after being drafted in the second round of the 2017 draft. His cap hit this year will be $990,940, according to Spotrac.
Background
The Bengals were able to get Mixon in the second round even though he clearly had first-round talent. If you need to know why his stock fell, just tune into ESPN for about five minutes.
Mixon was a dynamic playmaker in college, averaging a robust 6.8 yards per carry and 13.8 yards per reception while scoring a combined 28 touchdowns (17 rushing, 9 receiving, 1 returning a kick, and 1 passing). But more important than the college stats (which can be deceiving), Mixon's size, patience, burst in the open field and soft hands made him a great fit in the NFL. His ability to move and cut like a smaller back despite being the size of a lot of power backs means we should see him break off a lot of big plays.
Roster Odds
Mixon is an obvious lock. The bigger question is, when will he get the bulk of the carries? It'll probably happen eventually. But a lot of fans want to see it sooner rather than later, so that another season is not lost feeding Jeremy Hill.
Odds: 100 percent