Q&A with Freedom High School back and California's top recruit Joe Mixon

OAKLEY, Calif. — Joe Mixon gathered his gear on the Freedom (Oakley, Calif.) football field Tuesday night on the way to the locker room.

Teammates circled around and shared barbs. Mixon mimicked an acquaintance. Everyone laughed. A couple teammates offered him a ride home. A reporter asked for a few minutes of his time. 

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior running back is the lifeblood of the Falcons. The center point. He's a young man in demand — the team's star and most popular player.

He's not just any player, but California's top recruit, according to 247Sports, which rates him the No. 11 player overall in the country.

Every college in the country is after him. He's narrowed is list of more than 60 offers to six officially. His coach Kevin Hartwig said Tuesday Mixon has zeroed in on four and that the two were going to produce this week a detailed pro and con list for each of his finalist. 

Clearly, this isn't an easy decision, especially as a 5-star recruit with recruiting sites and college football fans smothering his every move and word. The spotlight is bright and hot. Besides that, Hartwig said, Mixon is a nice kid and very social. He's a team player and doesn't like to say no or disappoint people. The toughest part will be making calls to those he doesn't choose.

It's made for some stressful days for Mixon, whose young team has struggled through a 5-5 year after combining for 19 wins the previous two seasons.

The Falcons had Division I threats like receiver Darrell Daniels (now at Washington) and quarterback Dante Mayes (Nevada) on those teams. But Freedom returned only seven starters from last year and every opponent's No. 1 objective this season has been to stop Mixon cold.

He's still managed better than decent numbers — 1,234 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in nine games — but it's taken an inexperienced Freedom squad time to produce when games are on the line. The Falcons had to win their last two games — 28-27 over Antioch and 30-6 past Liberty — to make the playoffs.

All of it has led to a challenging senior year, but with a North Coast Section playoff game Saturday at Foothill, a team that swamped the Falcons 32-6 in Week 2, Mixon still has time to show why he's one of the best all-around backs to ever come out of the San Francisco Bay region.

He spent 15 minutes with us Tuesday after practice to discuss the season, his prep career and the rigors of handling big-league college football recruiting.

MAXPREPS: Has it hit you Joe that these are your final practices and days as a high school player?

JOE MIXON: It's been like this for a couple weeks now. We had to win last week to just get in the playoffs. It's been win or go home, so yes. It's sort of hard to believe.

MP: How would you describe your high school career?

JM: It's been nothing but good. It's been a great experience.

MP: As a 5-star recruit, the No. 1 player in the state of California, can you describe the recruiting process?

JM: The process is crazy. Once it got too crazy, I settled it down. I changed up my (phone) number so everyone wouldn't call me. Then I narrowed down my list of finalist and got it out. I think that made it a little bit easier. At the same time, you have to do what's best for you.

MP: Do you ever wish maybe you weren't such a high-profile recruit with so many offers and so much attention and just a little below the radar?

JM: Maybe. Sometimes. But at the same time I'm one of the top ones so you have to keep your head on your shoulders. You have to keep doing the things that got you to this point. You have to keep grinding and getting ready for the game.

MP: What's the best part and worst part of the recruiting process?

JM: The best part of recruiting is you get a lot of experience with colleges. Before this process I had never been to a college game. And I have yet still to go to an NFL game. It's been a great experience and I'm proud of it. At the same time, the worst part is everyone blowing your phone up when you're trying to get your school work done. That's probably the craziest part of it. Other than that, everything else is good.

MP: Do you have any advice for other up-and-coming blue-chip recruits?

JM: Just to keep a good head on your shoulders. Keep your grades up at all times. Keep grinding. Basically try to influence other kids who want to be like you. Remember that other kids are looking up to you to set an example.

MP: Now we hear you are the king of Twitter (@Joe_MainMixon is his handle). Have any favorite tweets or others you regret?

JM: There's nothing I regret. I just now try to write in quotes from famous people to help influence others. Inspirational things to help people get through tough times. I'm always try to keep things positive.

MP: OK, I know you and your coach will be going through a pro and con list with your finalists this week. I'll read off a finalist and if you could give me at least one pro about that school or program. First one: Oklahoma.

JM: Oklahoma. The facilities. They have great facilities. Pretty much everything is brand new. They have indoor-outdoor facility. The school. The people around them. The stadium. The fans. It's all good.

MP: Wisconsin.

JM: It's a real happy environment at Wisconsin. Everyone there is very sociable. Everyone there was very, very positive.

MP: UCLA.

JM: They're a young and upcoming program. They have great coaching. Jim Mora is a great guy. ... They have great players and a great team.

MP: Did you see what Myles Jack did last game against Arizona going both ways?

JM: Yes, he's really impressive. He's helped to try to recruit me there. I plan to take another unofficial visit there.

MP: California.

JM: I like Cal. I like Cal a lot. The only negative is they haven't been winning. But they're young and have a new coaching staff and just going through things now. They'll be on the rise.

MP: I know your visit to Washington was right during a major rain storm. How about the Huskies?

JM: "They have great people up there. Outside of football, there's a lot of job opportunities there. The only thing I didn't like was the weather. It rains a lot."

MP: Florida State. I know you visited the Seminoles during the weekend of their game with Miami. How was that?

JM: "Hey, they're No. 2 in the country. I just feel blessed to have an offer and that opportunity to be part of the family there. The players and staff were great to me. The environment (at the game) is crazy. Everyone is into the game. It's amazing."