Former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon had a first-round grade on him entering into the 2017 NFL draft. Some even had Mixon as their top running back in the draft when looking solely at talent. So when the Cincinnati Bengals swooped on him in the second round, they got a relative steal. Now the Bengals are excited to put that talent to use on offense.

Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese has to be the most excited given how he acted minutes following the team drafting Mixon.

“I’m so excited, I can hardly stand myself,” Zampese said per Jay Morrison of Dayton Daily News. “This guy can flat go — very, very good football player — strong, explosive, change of direction, feel and instincts, catches the ball. (We) can move him around in different places of the field. (He) interviewed football IQ-wise very well, protections, explained his offense well. I think he has a very, very bright future.”

Zampese wasn’t the only one excited about Mixon’s versatility. Quarterback Andy Dalton praised Mixon for his work not only as a runner, but as a pass catcher as well. “With his versatility – the ability to run and catch – I think that’s going to be big,” Dalton said per Morrison. “One of the things that helps with a guy that is versatile is you’re not tipping anything – you could be running the ball and you could be throwing it.”

The excitement is warranted. Mixon put up 1,274 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns, while adding 538 yards and five touchdowns through the air. If Mixon can continue to be that dual threat for Cincinnati, he has a shot at being one of the better running backs in the league. In fact, despite having Jeremy Hill on the roster, Mixon has decent odds of being the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.

With the addition of John Ross in the first round, the Bengals have a bunch of weapons on offense. That should give every fan a little chill of excitement.