Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals were the first team to bring in controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon for a private visit before the NFL draft. They won’t be the last.

Eleven other NFL teams have scheduled visits for Mixon so far, his agent, Peter Schaffer, told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mixon ends up taking more visits than that, since his exclusion from the NFL scouting combine means teams must find other venues to do their homework on him.

The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported Saturday that Mixon was in town to meet with the Bengals, who also were among the teams to meet privately with him before or after his pro day workout last week. Schaffer declined to identify the other teams that will host Mixon, but said a couple of the visits are set for this week.

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Mixon, 20, is regarded by some scouts as a top-15 or top-20 talent. The gruesome video of him breaking a woman’s jaw and cheekbone with a punch 2½ years ago has already taken him off some draft boards and left him in limbo on others. But plenty of people want to know more before making decisions, and there’s a growing feeling within the league Mixon won’t fall further than the third round.

He impressed on the field Wednesday at pro day, where he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.4-second range. Fifty-six people representing all 32 teams attended, according to the school. Schaffer said Mixon spoke with teams throughout the day before and day of the workout.

Teams are limited to 30 pre-draft visits to their facility, contributing to frustration voiced privately by many in the league – and publicly by Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn – about the NFL policy that barred Mixon and others with past issues from going to the combine.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.

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