Triple Take: David Cobb

Rob Willette Posted On March 16, 2015

cobb

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Opinions are good. Multiple opinions are better. In this installment of “Triple Take,” not one, not two, but THREE of our Dynasty Scouts writers evaluate an up and coming prospect. Having multiple opinions helps DLF avoid the “group think” mentality while providing you the insight you need to dominate your leagues.

David Cobb
Running Back, University of Minnesota
5’11” 229 pounds
3 star recruit

2011: 10 carries for 57 yards 5.7 yards per carry, zero touchdowns
2012: one carry for eight yards 8.0 yards per carry, zero touchdowns, one reception for three yards
2013: 237 carries for 1202 yards 5.1 yards per carry, seven touchdowns, 17 receptions for 174 yards

2014: 314 carries for 1626 yards 5.2 yards per carry, 13 touchdowns, 16 receptions for 162 yards

Athletic Profile and Vision

(Leath) Two years ago today, David Cobb may not have been a name that resonated even with the Gopher faithful. Buried on the depth chart, Cobb did not appear poised to earn much more than the meager work he did in his first two years on campus. Always talented, he had failed to really earn the trust of the coaching staff due to flaws in the finer points of his game. Fast forward two years, and he’s a well-known national commodity coming off consecutive workhorse seasons as the Gophers’ offensive centerpiece. In 2013, he looked like your traditional Big 10 power back, productive yet limited in his long-term upside. As a senior, he added a burst and fluidity not seen during his breakout campaign. A well put together 229 pounds, Cobb’s signature toughness is the hallmark of his game and compensates for a lack of dynamic athleticism. Minnesota built its offense on a power ground game, and that is what best suits him at the next level. Give him the dirty work between the tackles and compliment him with a dangerous space player, and you have a quality tandem. As a true lead back, Cobb may struggle establishing himself as a consistent fantasy asset.

(Caraccio) Over the last two seasons, Cobb has been the weapon of choice for the Golden Gophers offensive attack. Last season alone, he accounted for 30% of the Gophers touchdowns (13) and approximately 38% of their total yards from the line of scrimmage. In fact, Cobb’s rushing totals alone (314 carries for 1,626 rushing yards) accounted for 35% of the Gophers offensive attack! As astounding as these totals may seem, Cobb is equipped to handle the offensive burden. At 229 pounds, Cobb already possesses an NFL physique. An even cut player, Cobb displays a very good initial burst at the snap of the football. In addition, he possesses functional straight-line speed for the position but he is not a burner. In Minnesota, Cobb was the lead back in a hybrid running scheme consisting of both power and zone running plays.

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On power running plays Cobb shows good patience as he follows his blockers towards the line of scrimmage. When reaching the point of attack, he shows good maturity as a runner and is adept at taking good angles to the hole and juking at the last moment to set-up his blockers. Once Cobb enters the hole, he possesses enough lateral agility to make the first tackler miss but not enough to challenge second level defenders consistently. Instead, Cobb relies mostly on his power and physicality to win against defenders at the second level. On film these traits stand out, as Cobb runs with good leverage using his shoulder pads to attack the opposition. Cobb is the type of back that never gets knocked on his tail.

In zone running plays Cobb is decisive and showcases good, though not elite, vision when attacking the line of scrimmage. At the next level, he needs to work on pressing the hole a bit longer to create wider cutback lanes. In space, Cobb does not possess that elusive quality needed to win consistently at the next level. He is the type of back that is better deployed between the tackles where he can uses his vision, and physicality to pick his way through the holes in the offensive line.

(Whalen) Cobb is quicker than fast, running about a 4.7 40 yard dash. He has a very thick build at 5’11” and 229 pounds and most of it is on his lower half. However, that doesn’t always transition to the football field on a consistent basis in the form of power. This leads me to the most frustrating part of Cobb’s game, consistency. Most parts of his game are inconsistent, not only game to game but carry to carry. Cobb will show good quickness and vision on one carry employing some agility. Then on the next he will make a poor decision by running into a clogged hole and go down easily.

Cobb doesn’t have the overall athletic ability to make big gains, instead he’s a grind it out type of back. He has very good feet for his size and is able to get small in order to fit through a hole. Those same feet allow him to easily make lateral movements and he can make defenders miss at the second level. He makes more poor decisions running the football than great ones and leaves yardage left on the field.

Passing Game Skills

(Leath) Minnesota has not exactly been a passing juggernaut under head coach Jerry Kill, and that has limited the exposure of running backs in the passing game. The little we have seen of Cobb shows a capable if less than natural pass catcher. He is unlikely to evolve into a dangerous receiver out of the backfield, though he has potential in the screen game. Where he really matured during his collegiate career was in pass protection. Shaky skills in pass protection led to a lot of bench time during his freshman and sophomore seasons. As he improved in that area, he managed to become the workhorse, three-down runner that we saw as a junior and senior. He’s a high effort blocker with the size to take on front seven defenders. At the very least, he should be an adequate pass protector.

(Caraccio) In the passing game Cobb has limited experience. With only 34 receptions in his career at Minnesota it’s difficult to fully assess Cobb’s ability as a receiver. From the limited footage available, Cobb is at the very least competent as a receiver out of the backfield. He shows an ability to adjust to passes thrown below his waste while still maintaining speed. In addition, Cobb flashed the ability to track the ball over his shoulder on routes down field. In pass protection Cobb, like most collegiate backs, is a work in progress. Although he is able to recognize the free rusher quickly, his cut-blocks left something to be desired. At the next level Cobb will need to improve in pass protection to solidify a three down role. Specifically, I would like to see Cobb develop a stronger punch and use his leverage to anchor more consistently against pass rushers.

(Whalen) Cobb has a great frame to be a pass protector and shows a willingness to block. However, he catches defenders and that’s a poor strategy for the NFL. He needs to close the distance to meet defenders in order to increase the distance between them and the quarterback. Cobb also looks to get pushed back into the quarterback easily, and I was surprised I didn’t see more power in his blocking. Cobb sometimes aims right through the thigh board to cut defenders coming off the edge.

Dynasty Projection

(Leath) Cobb is the type of back that can be very productive if given the right opportunity. Utilize him as the hammer in a power run game, and he can churn out steady fantasy numbers. As a lead back, I feel he would be stretched a bit thin, as his tools are not irreplaceable. However, given his toughness and propensity to improve each season, he could settle in as a short-term RB2 or FLEX play in the right situation. Should he start his career hot, I’d look to sell, as he does not have the profile of the rare six to eight year contributor at a position with incredibly high turnover.

(Caraccio) Cobb was a very challenging evaluation. On the one hand, there is a nice mixture of agility, burst, power and vision. On the other hand, Cobb possesses none of those qualities at an elite level. That being said, I feel I may have initially underestimated Cobb’s vision as a runner. At first glance he appeared to be a one-cut type of back. Upon further investigation there seemed to be moments on film where Cobb appears to recognize opportunities to make defenders miss; unfortunately physical limitations preclude him from making that extra cut. Cobb simply played within himself at all times. Once Cobb enters an NFL strength and conditioning program there may be room for athletic growth. That is not to say this is a matter of just shedding weight like Marshawn Lynch, but rather equivalent to bringing your car in for a tune-up. The car always seems to run a bit better. I think Cobb could be more than a one-cut runner and if he can begin to develop that extra step consistently, he could be a very good back in both fantasy and reality. Cobb’s physical traits and running style translate best at this point to a power running scheme but I think he can be functional in a zone scheme as well. Cobb definitely has three down potential in the NFL. Depending on your needs at the running back position, Cobb presents excellent value in the second round of most rookie drafts.

(Whalen) I liked Cobb prior to doing this in-depth break down of his game and left disappointed. I needed more power and better decision making from a player that wasn’t a plus athlete. Cobb is dropping in my rankings as I don’t see a consistent NFL starter. He’s a less athletic and poorer version of Ray Rice.

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