The Bengals today signed HB Joe Mixon of the University of Oklahoma, their second-round selection in the 2017 NFL draft (48th overall), to a four-year contract. He is the ninth of the Bengals’ 11 draft picks to sign.
Mixon (6-1, 228) played in 25 games with nine starts in two seasons for Oklahoma and posted career rushing totals of 300 carries, 2027 yards and 17 TDs. He ranks third in Sooners history in career receiving yards by a running back (894) and fourth in career receptions by a running back (65). In 12 games in 2016 alone, Mixon rushed for 1274 yards and 10 TDs on 187 carries and had 37 catches for 538 yards and another five TDs. He ranked second nationally in all-purpose yards last season, setting single-season school records for all-purpose yards (2331) and all-purpose yards per game (194.3) along the way, and he was named First-Team All-Big 12 by conference coaches.
Two Bengals draftees still are unsigned: DE Jordan Willis (third round; Kansas State) and C/G J.J. Dielman (fifth round; Utah).