Let’s just say the phone isn’t ringing off the hook for Big 12 players so far in the NFL draft. Only five players from the conference were selected through the third round Friday night John Ross Jersey , and it appeared the Big 12 was headed toward having the fewest picks among the power five leagues again. The Big 12 started off with Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes going 10th to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. The next player to go was troubled Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, 48th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday. This was the first year since 2008 that the Big 12 had only one first-round choice. The league’s two picks through two rounds were the fewest since the old Southwest Conference and Big Eight merged to form the Big 12 in 1996. In the third round, Kansas State outside linebacker Jordan Willis went to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 73 overall, Texas running back D’Onta Foreman went to the Houston Texans at No. 89 and West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 99. Among the top Big 12 players still on the board for the final four rounds Saturday were Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma State defensive lineman Vincent Taylor and running back Samaje Perine of Oklahoma. The Southeastern Conference led the power five conferences with 30 players taken through three rounds, followed by the Big Ten (19), Pac-12 (16), Atlantic Coast Conference (11) and Big 12 (five). Last year the Big 12 had 26 players taken in the seven rounds Jordan Willis Jersey , tied with the ACC for fewest among power-five leagues and about half the 51 taken from the Southeastern Conference. The Big 12 had 25 draftees in 2015, also the fewest among the power fives. Mahomes on Thursday was the second quarterback taken , with the Chiefs trading up from No. 27 to get him at No. 10. ”It makes you feel great,” Mahomes said. ”It makes you feel like they really believe in you. They really believe in your abilities. They believe in you more as a person. They know that you’re just going to come in and work as hard as you can just to contribute to the team anyway possible.” Mahomes led the FBS with 421 passing yards per game, and he threw for 41 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. The Bengals traded down in the second round on Friday and took Mixon , putting them back in the spotlight as a place known for giving second and third chances. The 5-foot-10 running back was one of the top players available at his position, but teams were wary because of his history. Mixon was suspended for his freshman season after punching a female student and breaking bones in her face. The crowd in Philadelphia booed when Mixon’s selection was announced. Coach Marvin Lewis said the team was aware of how the public would react to the pick. Cincinnati needed a running back after Rex Burkhead left for New England. — CINCINNATI (AP) — Head coach Marvin Lewis fired the defensive coordinator and installed himself in a dual role. Bengals players talked about their trip to Baltimore as a pivotal moment in the season, almost a last-stand opportunity. They wound up getting run over.Now what?A 24-21 loss in Baltimore on Sunday dropped the Bengals (5-5) three games behind Pittsburgh in the loss column for the AFC North lead with only six weeks left in the season. Their fourth loss in five games put them in danger of missing out on the playoffs for the third straight season. A shakeup of the coaching staff didn't make enough of a difference. Cincinnati is relegated to hoping that some of its injured players return and salvage a season that's gone from promising to unsettling."Everyone is frustrated Carl Lawson Jersey ," offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said Monday. "Everyone's nerves are a little frayed right now. Everyone is searching."Lewis decided to fire defensive coordinator Teryl Austin after the Bengals gave up 500 yards for the third straight game, a first in the Super Bowl era. He took over the coordinator's duties and hired fired Browns head coach Hue Jackson to help on the sidelines during games.It didn't go well in Baltimore.The Bengals ended that streak of 500-yard games, holding the Ravens to 403, but they were on the wrong end of more defensive history.Cincinnati allowed 265 yards rushing, the most during Lewis' 16 seasons as head coach. They've given up more than 200 yards rushing in back-to-back games — the Saints ran for 244 — and three times overall this season, also the most under Lewis.Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 117 yards in his first start, and rookie Gus Edwards ran for 115 and a touchdown. They're the first set of rookie quarterback and running back teammates to run for at least 100 yards in the same game in NFL history."You give up 200 yards rushing, I'm not going to be happy with that Tyler Boyd Jersey ," Lewis said.Lewis was satisfied with how his first game on the sideline unfolded, although he felt "somewhat a little handicapped" by having so many responsibilities."Hopefully it will become more and more comfortable," Lewis said.Part of the reason for Austin's firing was the confusion on defense, which repeatedly had coverage breakdowns. The Bengals had a different type of challenge on Sunday with a rookie quarterback who ran a lot.Lewis simplified the game plan, but the defense still struggled against the run."He made us play fast," cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. "He put us in situations where we didn't have to do a whole lot of thinking."The Bengals were in control of the division after a 4-1 start. Now they're trying to make up a lot of ground on the Steelers, who won at Paul Brown Stadium to start Cincinnati's free fall.They're one of five teams at 5-5 in contention for the second wild card spot. The Chargers have the edge for the first wild card at 7-3. The Bengals host the Browns (3-6-1) on Sunday."It's a race now, and that's what we're here for Nick Vigil Jersey ," Lewis said after the game. "That's the thing: Now it's a race to the finish."A race they once led, but that's now getting away from them.BURFICT BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHTLinebacker Vontaze Burfict played with a sore hip that sidelined him the previous week. He was on the field for 36 of 79 plays, showing the effects of the injury — he had only four tackles. He also was involved in an altercation with guard Marshal Yanda after a play, part of a scrum on the ground involving several players. The officials didn't penalize anyone. Lewis said on Monday that the coaches' film doesn't show what happened in the altercation.