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The Cleveland Browns are starting to take a look at some running back prospects in this year’s draft class, and one of them certainly comes with a lot of baggage. According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, among the players Cleveland is hosting today are Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon and FSU RB Dalvin Cook:
As @RapSheet said, FSU RB Dalvin Cook is visiting Browns. Also in Berea today, per source: Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon & Florida CB Quincy Wilson.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 3, 2017
RB isn't a top need for CLE, but I know they really like Cook. Shouldn't be ruled out as an option. https://t.co/nwBatkGZ4o
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 3, 2017
Cook is projected to be a 1st round pick by CBS Sports’ Dane Bruglar. Here is Bruglar’s assessment of him:
When evaluating the running back position, there are two main criteria that translates to the NFL: can you navigate? And can you create? And Cook is above average in both areas, despite unimpressive testing numbers. He has excellent patience to allow his blockers to do their job and then times his burst to maximize each run. If defenses give him a crease, he has the vision to find openings and athletic gifts to attack them, making it look easy due to his feet, balance and spatial awareness. Cook is a dynamic rusher and receiver, but his inconsistency in pass protection and with ball security need improved.
Although Bruglar acknowledges that teams need to be comfortable with his shoulders before using a high pick on him, he feels he’ll be the first running back off the board later this month.
Mixon is projected to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick by Bruglar. I’m opening a can of worms by just even talking about him, so please try to remain a little tame when discussing him in the comments section. He has “first-round talent,” but look at these character concerns that Bruglar reminds us of:
Strong red flags off-the-field because of an arrest for misdemeanor assault (July 2014) where he punched a woman in the face at a café in Norman, breaking her jaw and 16 cheekbone, which required surgery and rehab – received a one-year deferred sentence, 100 hours of community service and had to undergo counseling (was also suspended from the Sooners football team for the entire 2014 season)…the incident was captured on camera and was released to the public in Dec. 2016 – Mixon issued a public apology and took responsibility following the release of the video…suspended one game (Oct. 2016) for a dispute over a parking ticket dispute between him and a female parking attendant.
We’ll discuss the team’s other visits they hosted a little later today.