From now till the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as attainable, inspecting their strengths, weaknesses, and what they’ll carry to an NFL franchise. These gamers could possibly be potential prime 10 picks, all the way in which right down to Day 3 alternatives and precedence undrafted free brokers. In the present day, I’ll be profiling a working again prospect who labored in a committee for the CFP Nationwide Champions and has the NFL bloodlines and receiving prowess groups will gravitate to as a draft prospect.
#4 James Cook dinner, RB, Georgia (Senior) – 5110, 199lb
Mix Invite
Measurements
| Participant | Ht/Wt | Hand Dimension | Arm Size | Wingspan |
| James Cook dinner | 5’11, 199lb | 9 3/8″ | 30 3/4” | 76 1/4” |
| 40-Yard Sprint | 10-Yard Sprint | Quick Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.42 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Soar | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’4” | 33.0” |
The Good
— Has the lengthy velocity (4.42 40) and burst to be a risk to take it to the home if he will get into open grass
— Easy working type paired with good imaginative and prescient that enables him to circulate and weave by means of gaps and round blocks
— Has nice persistence permitting his blocks to arrange earlier than declaring his path of journey
— Has nice rhythm as a runner, accelerating by means of the opening and follows his blocks effectively to go with the work of his OL
— One-cut runner who can leap into house laterally when attacking the second stage of the protection
— Ideally suited pass-catching again that may run practically any route out of the backfield
— Has motioned out to the slot and out on the boundary as a receiver, simply creating mismatches in opposition to LBs and Ss tasked with protecting him
— Generates separation successfully as a route runner and is aware of the right way to discover the delicate spots in zone protection to offer his QB a through goal
— Nice verify down possibility that may work to get open within the scramble drill
— Has pure arms as a move catcher that may go up and excessive level the soccer or catch in-stride
— Has proven competency as a move protector, organising with good hip and knee bend in addition to a timed punch
The Dangerous
— Undersized by way of bulk with a skinny decrease half
— Doesn’t have instantaneous juice as a runner, possessing extra construct up velocity down a runway
— Lacks practical play energy to interrupt tackles or churn out robust yardage
— Has some contact stability as a runner, however lacks the scale and construct to soak up contact commonly as a runner to complete runs
— Gained’t be capable of create for himself in-between the tackles if the opening isn’t there
— Lack of measurement raises sturdiness considerations if requested to deal with a full workload/ was a committee again his complete profession at Georgia
— Will should be extra constant in move safety being in right place
— Dimension and energy might give him suits when defending the QB if he doesn’t get stronger
Bio
— Senior prospect from Miami, FL
— Youthful brother of Vikings working again Dalvin Cook dinner
— 247sports.com and ESPN four-star prospect and #3 RB in his recruiting class, was chosen to play within the 2018 U.S. Military All-American Bowl and Nike’s The Opening 2017
— Additionally competed within the 100m, 200m, 400m and shot put for the Miami Central monitor group
— Performed in 13 of 14 video games as a real freshman and carried the ball 41times for 284 yards (6.9 YPC) and two TDs and caught 8 passes for 89 yards (11.1YPR)
— Performed in all 14 video games, beginning in three in 2019 with 31 carries for 188 yards (6.1YPC) and two TDs together with 16 receptions for 132 yards (8.3YPR), additionally had 4 kick returns for 57 yards
— Performed in eight video games as a reserve in 2020 and recorded 45 carries for 303 yards (6.7YPC) and three TDs together with 16 receptions for 225 yards (14.1YPR) and two TDs
– Missed the 2020 Peach Bowl as a result of their father, James, handed away on the age of 46 on account of problems from diabetes
— Performed in all 15 video games, beginning in three in 2021 as he obtained 113 carries for 728 yards (6.4YPC) and 7 TDs) together with 27 receptions for 284 yards (10.5YPR) and 4 TDs
— Named considered one of 4 group captains for the Florida and Tennessee video games in 2021
— Housing Administration & Coverage main
Tape Breakdown
James Cook dinner got here to Georgia as one of many prime backs within the nation with a giant identify to dwell as much as. Being the youthful brother of former Florida State and present Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook dinner, James has needed to dwell in his huge brother’s shadow throughout his complete soccer profession. Nonetheless, James Cook dinner loved a breakout senior season coming off the heels of tragically shedding his father this previous winter on account of problems from diabetes, going over 1,000 complete scrimmage yards to assist the Georgia Bulldogs win their first Nationwide Championship in over 40 years.
Whenever you watch Cook dinner, you see a slender, easy runner that does an ideal job following his blocks and slashing by means of a protection. He has the imaginative and prescient and the texture to circulate by means of working lanes, weaving out and in of site visitors as he works to and thru the second stage. Watch this lengthy TD run in opposition to Tennessee the place Cook dinner sneaks by means of a small hole and the proceeds to weave by means of the protection in pursuit, attending to the pylon for the rating.
Here’s a comparable instance in opposition to the Florida Gators the place Cook dinner runs to the correct and makes a fast lower to his left to evade strain, getting up area to separate two defenders converging on him to sneak into the tip zone for the TD.
Cook dinner combines his wonderful imaginative and prescient and really feel as a runner with good lengthy velocity to gash defenses if he will get into open house. Right here in opposition to Alabama, we watch Cook dinner take the handoff and makes a fast reduce to his left within the gap to spring a long term, evading the defensive again as he accelerates ahead within the open area and up the sideline earlier than he’s finally caught from behind and thrown out of bounds.
Right here is one other instance of Cook dinner bouncing the run to the skin in opposition to the Volunteers, easily turning the nook as he picks up the primary down earlier than in the end stepping out of bounds.
Cook dinner has an honest about of lateral quickness and shake to make some defenders miss in house and be capable of step out of a deal with try if in good place. Right here on this TD run, we watch Cook dinner take the pitch to the correct and observe his blocks to the correct sideline, leaping out of 1 diving deal with try as he walks the tightrope throughout the aim line to pay dust.
Nonetheless, Cook dinner shouldn’t be recognized for having one of the best contact stability as a runner and can get tripped up by arm tackles or if a defender is available in with strong contact. Here’s a run the place Cook dinner takes one other pitch to the skin, working away from one deal with try and tries to stiff arm one other defender who warps up his legs and drags him down simply in need of the road to achieve.
Cook dinner’s slender, skinny body additionally doesn’t assist his probabilities at transferring the pile or being a productive pink zone/ aim line again. His brother, Dalvin, is notably stronger with a greater construct for function again duties whereas James lacks that practical energy to interrupt tackles on contact. Watch this run contained in the 5 in opposition to the Gators the place Cook dinner shoots by means of the opening, solely to get dropped on contact by #7 Jeremiah Moon who squares him up and places him down.
Cook dinner’s largest contributions as a prospect come to his skill as a move catcher, each out of the backfield in addition to break up out as a receiver within the formation. He has pure, dependable arms and an actual fell for producing separation as a route runner. Right here is one instance in opposition to The Crimson Tide the place Cooks leaks out of the backfield because the verify down possibility and catches the ball in-stride, turning up area and aspect steps a would-be tackler to choose up the primary.
Whereas Cook dinner is usually a dependable security valve, he additionally does a great job working to the open areas of the sector on the scramble drill when the play breaks down to offer his QB an open goal to throw to love we see on this big-time first down catch in opposition to Florida on third down.
The place Cook dinner actually shines as a move catcher is his skill to separate out within the formation as a receiver within the slot or out vast and win in opposition to LBs and Ss tasked with protecting him in man protection. Right here is a good instance in opposition to Tennessee the place Cook dinner motions out to the correct aspect of the formation on the boundary and cooks the LB (see what I did there haha) on the stutter-and-go TD strike.
In the case of move safety, Cook dinner has proven to be competent and prepared on this aspect of the sport. His lack of measurement and energy result in him often struggling in opposition to blitzing LBs coming full velocity at him however has proven the method to play with a strong base and strike along with his arms like on this rep in opposition to the Vols, permitting #13 Stetson Bennett to flee the pocket and choose up yards along with his legs.
Conclusion
Total, Cook dinner comes off as a slashing, one-cut runner who most closely fits outdoors zone and stretch/toss performs on the subsequent stage. His lack of perfect function again measurement and practical play energy probably limits his skill to hold a full workload on the subsequent stage, as he by no means did throughout his time at Georgia. Nonetheless, his play velocity, imaginative and prescient, and prowess as a move catcher from a wide range of completely different spots make him a great change-of-pace/receiving again in tandem with a robust, highly effective runner in-between the tackles.
When developing of a professional comparability for Cook dinner, Andre Ellington got here to thoughts as the same type of runner who additionally functioned as a succesful move catcher for the Arizona Cardinals. Ellington additionally come from a Energy 5 superpower in Clemson and was drafted within the sixth spherical again in 2013, due partially to his total lack of perfect function again measurement which is almost like Cook dinner (5’9 1/4”, 199lb, 9 3/8” hand). Whereas Ellington might not have examined as quick as Cook dinner (4.61 40), each possess good open area velocity and the power to make defenders miss in house with their lateral quickness. Ellington additionally excelled as a receiver within the league like Cook dinner, going over 30 receptions 3 times throughout his profession.
Pittsburgh may use a working again of Cook dinner’s talent set to go with the working type of Najee Harris. Cook dinner may are available to offer Harris a breather and problem defenses as a viable outdoors zone runner who can harm you if he will get into the second stage in addition to a moveable chess piece within the passing sport that may reap the benefits of defensive packages that put a subpar protection LB on him. Cook dinner advised me on the NFL Mix that he hadn’t spoken to the Steelers at that cut-off date, and given his draft slotting, Pittsburgh might wait until later within the draft to deal with the place. Nonetheless, it’s a logical match and would kind a great 1-2 punch with Najee Harris.
Projection: Late Day Two to Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (third Spherical)
Video games Watched: at Tennessee (2021), vs Florida (2021), vs Alabama (2021)
