Joe Mixon already has six scholarship offers and the 2014 California running back is closing in on more.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Freedom High School in Oakley, Calif., already holds offers from Washington, Cal, Oregon State, Colorado, Arizona State and Michigan. He’s also receiving serious interest from schools like Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Nebraska and Arizona.
“It feels good right now,” said Mixon, who has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. “I’m still early in the game, so it’s a blessing to have all of those offers already.
“They like my size, my highlight tape, my speed and my power. I’ve got the whole combination.”
Notre Dame assistant coach Mike Denbrock stopped by Freedom last week and made it clear how impressed the Irish staff is in a meeting with Mixon’s coach.
“He was saying that he loved my highlight tape, it was off the charts and that when he comes back in January, he said hopefully he’ll have something for me,” said Mixon. “It makes me feel good. They’re the number one team in the country right now, so I know what my game is.”
Mixon already knows a little bit about the Irish and says there’s “no doubt” he’d like visit South Bend at some point.
“Of course I know Manti Te’o and I know the running back who goes there, George Atkinson,” he said. “And of course the defense, I’ve been watching them from time to time.
“The coaching staff and the players, they want to get after it and they compete with the best. I just like how they are down there.”
Mixon has already taken an unofficial visit to Cal, which he enjoyed.
“It was a pretty cool environment,” he said. “It was the first time they played in the new stadium and when I came down to the locker room, I felt like they were treating me like I was family.”
He has some other trips in mind too.
“I want to go up to Washington and I want to go to Nebraska soon and Michigan soon,” he said.
The opportunity to compete right away will play a big role when Mixon is making a decision.
“I want to go somewhere I can play as a true freshman. Of course, it has to be a good school of course and I want to look for a good business school.”
