The 2017 NFL Scouting Combine is set for Indianapolis this week, and for a short period before free agency rolls in, the draft process will be the focus of the offseason and all of the pre-draft day storylines will be out in full force. This season no exception, with big names out of college providing the needed build-up to make the combine an exciting event and a staple of the NFL Network’s offseason coverage.
From big name absences to players with injury histories or criminal backgrounds looking to assure teams there should be no red flags around their names, to the freak athletes chasing Chris Johnson’s fabled 40 yard dash time. The 2017 combine is filled with the expected tropes that make the event a timeless part of the offseason calendar. Following are a few top stories to watch to get you prepared for countless hours of workouts on TV and countless tweets from Adam Schefter on your TL out of Indy:
The impact of Joe Mixon’s absence
The biggest thing to watch and monitor in Indianapolis won’t even be in the city with talented Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon barred from the event due to the video of him punching a woman in a graphic assault incident. Now, Mixon will miss out on the most high profile event of the draft process in what is a fair punishment by the NFL after the Sooners star drew national scrutiny for a violent decision to strike a female inside of a restaurant in Norman back in 2014.
Mixon went on PFT Live on Monday to address the incident in yet another step from the running back to express regret for his actions on that day. The running back stated in his appearance that the incident still haunts him to this day and continued to show remorse.
“I made a bad decision,” Mixon said, according to ProFootballTalk. “Ever since that night I have to live with it. I’ve got to re-live it every day. You can never forget something like that. It still haunts me to this day, but it’s what you do from that point on. You can’t take it back. I can replay it in my head a thousand times, and if I could take it back I would, but I can’t.”
Mixon’s baggage will certainly turn off a handful of teams who have hard stances against domestic violence. Teams such as the Oakland Raiders, who have an owner in Mark Davis that has publicly suggested his team won’t sign players like Greg Hardy, could very well decide to pass on Mixon and the potential message it might send. That will impact the draft board immensely as Mixon could go anywhere from the second round to a fall into the third day on the draft pending how the process of reconciling his past goes over with NFL teams and the media this spring.
The absence of Mixon will also give the other talented running backs who are at the combine the chance to showcase themselves without the presence of what would be another star in a deep group of prospects at the position this year. With Mixon out of the picture due to his past transgressions, the focus deserves placement on the players who are there and could make further names for themselves with strong combine performances. If that happens, Mixon could feel a real impact from the NFL’s decision to not invite players with violent crime records to the combine.
Dalvin Cook’s medical evaluations
While Mixon’s absence is one of the top stories of the combine, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook’s medical evaluations in Indianapolis will earn equal weight and draw equal attention. Cook has three shoulder surgeries on his resume of health from Florida State, which is a major concern and a knock on a player who is in a fierce competition with LSU star Leonard Fournette to become the first running back selected in the 2017 class.
With the abnormally high number of shoulder surgeries dating back to high school for Cook, teams will obsess over the medical reports out of Indy to ensure the monster running back prospect can stay on the field. Cook can have all the film in the world that indicates he is one of the best college running backs coming into the league, but NFL scouts and general managers will need to determine if he can stay on the field before his draft value is known.
With a clean bill of health, Cook could be a first round pick in a draft where the recent instant success of rookie running backs could see a resurgence in early picks at the position. However, unless the doctors highly assure teams that Cook is beyond healthy, it seems there will be an air of caution that will surround a player who took a ton of mileage on during a dominant Seminoles career.
The combine performances of Adoree’ Jackson
NFL teams will need to figure out exactly where Adoree’ Jackson will make his impact on a professional gridiron before they decide where to place him on their boards and the USC two-way weapon will have a chance to show off his track and field pedigree in Indy. Jackson – who flirted with attempts to qualify for the Olympics in long jump and is a talented sprinter – has the chance to prove to NFL scouts that he is an extraordinary talent and a high-level prospect after winning the Thorpe Award in a standout defensive year for the Trojans.
Despite being named the top defensive back in college football last season, some teams may place focus on Jackson’s offensive upside just in case they see more value in his speed than his defensive abilities after their draft evaluations. The debate over Jackson’s best potential NFL position will make the USC track/football star’s attempts at crazy showcase performances in Indianapolis more than just fodder for the NFL Network.
If Jackson chases down Chris Johnson’s famed 4.24-second 40-yard dash, the Thorpe winner could end up as a gamebreaker on offense once NFL coordinators get a look at the gifts he possesses. If you have the time to tune into the combine, Jackson’s events will be worth calling in sick to work to witness one of the best athletes at the event this year by far.
