RB, Georgia
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 199 lbs
Class: Senior
A four-star recruit and the No. 3 ranked all-purpose back in the 2018 recruiting class, Cook wasn’t short of offers. He received 18, including from Alabama and his brother’s alma mater Florida State. He committed instead to Georgia, where he earned a role in their backfield committee. Cook enters the draft after a career year that saw him put up 1,002 yards and 11 touchdowns on 140 touches.
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Strengths
Cook may well be the best receiving back in this year’s class. He operated mainly out of the backfield at Georgia, but did also show the ability to win his matchups when flexed out. He demonstrated that he can be an excellent checkdown weapon on swings and flats, with the quick feet and elusiveness to create his own yardage after the catch. Cook also excelled running more advanced running back routes, including angles, rails, and wheels.
He also has the ball skills you want in a receiving back. You rarely see him drop anything and he logged just one drop on his 68 career catchable targets. Cook is comfortable working outside his frame and showed the ability to make adjustments for poor ball placement. He is also excellent at tracking the ball when working vertical routes and had a number of huge receptions in college as a result.
Cook is more than a pure third down back though. He showcases good vision as a runner, with the ability to read and react to the flow of the defense. He has an innate understanding of cutback opportunities and will punish defenders if they get out of position. When you compare this with his quick footwork and effortless cutting ability, this makes Cook ideally suited for a wide zone scheme.
Cook also has the combination of short area quickness and long speed to consistently rip off big runs. He does an excellent job of hitting the hole and accelerating, with the long speed necessary to outrun defenders in the open field and take it to the house. His 18.7% career explosive run rate puts him ahead of players like Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker.
Weaknesses
The obvious concern with Cook is his size. At 5’11” and 199 lbs he is built more like a receiver than he is a running back. His lack of a strong lower half impacts his ability to be a true three down runner and he has some way to go when it comes to his contact balance. Cook goes down too easily at present and doesn’t have the play strength to break tackles and create yardage after contact. His lack of size also creates problems on passing downs. Cook was rarely asked to pass protect by Georgia, but when he was he wasn’t wholly convincing.
The other worry will be his sample size. Cook spent his career as a backup for Georgia and was never given a very high workload. He logged just 230 carries over his four seasons and never had more than 12 carries in a game. This, coupled with his below average contact balance, will naturally raise questions about his ability to function as a lead back at the next level.
Bottom Line
Cook has the vision and quicks to be a good zone back, and pairs this with excellent receiving ability. Whilst his lack of size and strength is going to limit his appeal, he can have an immediate impact as a rookie thanks to his pass catching prowess.
Ideal role: Third down back in a zone scheme
Round projection: 3rd round
