New England Patriots Will Not Draft Running Back Joe Mixon

The New England Patriots will reportedly be steering clear of running back Joe Mixon in the NFL Draft because of his past.

Despite possibly having a need for a running back, the New England Patriots will be staying away from Joe Mixon in the upcoming NFL Draft.

As a young college player at Oklahoma, Mixon punched a woman in the face. He was suspended for his freshman season because of that. The incident was caught on tape, and was truly a horrible thing to see. Due to his actions off the field, Mixon’s status in the NFL Draft is somewhat uncertain.

On the field, Mixon proved to be an excellent player at Oklahoma. In 2016, Mixon totaled 1,274 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 37 receptions, and 538 receiving yards. Even though Mixon is one of the best running backs in the draft, his off the field issues will lead to some teams not touching him. According to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, they will be one of those teams.

"“While I believe in second chances and giving players an opportunity for redemption, I also believe that playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right,” Kraft told Jeff Howe of the Herald. “For me, personally, I believe that privilege is lost for men who have a history of abusing women.”"

Even though the Patriots might have a need at running back, Mixon doesn’t appear to be on their radar.

Coming into the 2017 season, the Patriots have Dion Lewis, James White, and Rex Burkhead at running back. LeGarrette Blount is still a free agent, but he might not be returning to New England.

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While the Patriots do have talent in their backfield right now, they might still need a between the tackles runner. Whether that comes from the draft or free agency has yet to be seen. One thing is for sure, Mixon won’t be drafted by the Patriots in the upcoming draft.