If Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is available, should the Broncos draft him?
Kiz: The Broncos need a playmaker on offense. NFL scouts seem to agree Joe Mixon has first-round talent. But he also carries baggage as big and ugly as the video of Mixon striking a woman at a restaurant, which has been viewed more than 1 million times. Broncos general manager John Elway has refused to say whether Mixon is on the Broncos’ draft board. Should Denver consider drafting him in the first round, second round or any round?
Jhabvala: No, they should not. This draft class is deep with playmakers. There are alternatives. Mixon may be a very fine football player, but being able to run fast and score touchdowns should not be free passes for his actions off the field. He broke a woman’s face. Being a professional in any industry is about more than talent or skill. What’s sad, though, is if that video had not been released, I bet most, if not all, teams would keep Mixon on their draft boards.
Kiz: Anybody with access to the internet has seen Mixon at his best on the field and at his worst off the field. I have never met Mixon. The Broncos, however, brought him in for a visit before the draft. Any team considering Mixon has to evaluate his talent, his character and his potential for causing trouble. I’m certain Elway received a fabulous education at Stanford, but there are too many variables for a knucklehead like me to confidently predict that Mixon is worth the risk. Jhabvala: What bothers me is the debate is about him and the risk he poses to NFL teams. The focus is still on his talents, his value, his future. This isn’t about football anymore, and talk shouldn’t be about him. He’s one of the most talented prospects in this year’s draft class, but the incident and the rhetoric surrounding it speak volumes about the value placed on talent instead of character, of ethics, of the victims. Mixon conveniently settled his civil lawsuit with the woman, Amelia Molitor, days before the draft. But it doesn’t erase what he did.
Kiz: NFL teams do value character, but they value touchdowns more, and thus will do almost anything to win. The Broncos, however, can find a way to get back to the Super Bowl without Mixon. With the 51st overall pick in the second round, here’s hoping Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara is on the board for the Broncos’ consideration. Football is a job. Often a dirty job. So I’m not going to deny Mixon’s right to find work. But, as the curator of Pat Bowlen’s football team, I wouldn’t invest money in Mixon. Jhabvala: Football is a job, and the NFL is a big business. But in most other jobs and big businesses, punching a woman would be grounds for firing or unemployment. The Broncos have partnered with the Rose Andom Center, whose mission is to improve the lives of domestic violence victims. They work with Project PAVE, an organization aimed at ending the cycle of relationship violence. They’ve signed players who are often overlooked for the positive work they do off the field. Taking on Mixon would send a very different message about their priorities and their expectations of their players. This is about more than a game.