NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Joe Mixon finally got to show scouts what he could do.
Mixon was suspended for the 2014 season after he punched a woman and broke bones in her face. He gave a tearful apology for the incident a few months ago, but he wasn’t invited to the NFL combine.
He had a strong showing at Oklahoma’s pro day on Wednesday. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds , posted a 35-inch vertical jump and went 9 feet, 10 inches in the broad jump __ impressive numbers for a 228-pound back. North Carolina’s T.J. Logan and Utah’s Joe Williams were the only running backs who posted faster 40-yard dash times at the combine, and Mixon is much heavier than both.
Mixon’s 21 reps on the bench press would have been tied for sixth among running backs at the combine.
“There’s a lot of great running backs in this class, but at the end of the day, I feel like I’m the best one,” he said.
Mixon set Oklahoma’s school’s single-season record for all-purpose yards last season with 2,331. He closed out his college career with 180 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns in a Sugar Bowl win over Auburn . Some teams were scared off by his past, but Mixon said he has started winning teams over.
“At first, I was off a lot of teams’ boards, and now, a lot are interested now,” he said. “I can only hope, wish and pray for the best outcome in the situation, and that’s to be drafted.”
Video of the incident was released in December .
“It ain’t nothing to hide,” he said. “Everybody’s seen everything. Everybody knows what’s going on. At the end of the day, sit in front of them, look in the eye and let them get a feel for me.”
Mixon said he has been talking to young people and encouraging them not to make the mistakes he made.
“I own to what I did that day,” he said. “I know it wasn’t right. It’s never right.”
He said he has grown up, and he’s ready to focus on being a good player who brings talent and energy to an NFL team.
“You go through a lot of things in life,” he said. “It’s what you do from whatever mistake you do, just like I did. Like I said, you live and you learn. I can’t take anything back, but at the end of the day, you can learn from what you did.”
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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP .
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