20/20: Dalvin Cook
Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we’ll be profiling 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2017 by giving you 20 facts you must know.
1.) Name – Dalvin Cook
[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]
2.) College – Florida State
3.) Height/Weight – 5-foot-11, 213-pounds
4.) Birth Date – 8/10/95 (21)
5.) Class – Junior
6.) College Stats –
7.) NFL Draft Round Projection – First round. There are a lot of mock drafts forecasting him as a top-five pick, but there’s a chance he could slide to the middle-late portions of the first round.
8.) Current (/former) NFL comp – Marshall Faulk
Both players are very comparable when it comes to size and stature. One of the biggest similarities between Cook and Faulk is their ability to contribute in the passing game by running precise routes out of the backfield while using their short area quickness to gain a massive amount of yards after the catch. With mirroring running styles, both players are able to make quick calculated decisions before making their first initial move. The two players demonstrate similar athletic traits when it comes to balance, footwork and explosiveness.
Obviously, Faulk is a Hall of Famer and is considered one of the best running backs to ever play the game. Don’t get too excited, just because two players share similar intangibles doesn’t mean they will have similar careers.
9.) Best possible destination – New Orleans
Incumbent starter Mark Ingram has only two years left on his contract, and is starting to physically slow down due to the wear and tear he has endured on his body during the course of his career. The Saints’ high volume passing attack combined with the accuracy of Drew Brees would create the perfect match for Cook in the passing game. Ever since Darren Sproles departed from the Saints in 2014 fantasy owners have been dreaming of an explosive pass catching running back to fill his old role. Cook can be the next Sproles and then some, because he can be a tremendous asset catching the ball out of the backfield and be highly effective running between the tackles to pick up the tough yards to keep the chains moving. The passing attack will keep defenses honest, decrease the volume of stacked boxes and give him plenty of creases for him to run through.
10.) Worst possible destination – Cleveland
The Browns have one of the worst franchises in sports and like always, they are currently in a rebuilding phase. Even though Cook is more talented than Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson, both backs are good enough to cut into his workload. Quarterback hasn’t been a stable position for the Browns for a very long while and sub-optimal quarterback play could limit his upside. Odds are highly unlikely that the Browns won’t select a running back with any of their top picks because they have needs at other positions, but they are still the Browns, meaning anything can happen.
11.) Best current skill – Footwork and Balance
His quick feet allow him to effortlessly make cuts on a dime while eluding defenders. He has the innate ability to maintain balance while changing directions at full speed. His ability to keep his feet moving forward without losing balance allows him to shift to the next gear and rapidly increase speed while maneuvering through the second level of the defense.
12.) Skill that needs to be improved – Ball Security
He turned over the football on nine of his 13 fumbles during his three year collegiate career. Six of his fumbles came last year during his junior season. On average, he fumbles the ball once in every 59 touches, fumbling the football on 1.69 percent of his touches. Turning over the football can quickly get a running back benched or demoted, making it crucial for Cook to maintain ball security once he gets in the NFL.
13.) Past/Current Rookie ADP – He’s currently being selected in the top three in most rookie drafts with a lot of dynasty owners drafting him as the first overall pick. Cook should remain as one of the top prospects in this draft class. Landing spot is going to affect his ADP in the future as there’s a neck-and-neck battle between him and Leonard Fournette for the top running back in this draft class. Of course, the player with the better landing spot will more than likely will be the consensus top back in this draft class. Outside of breaking a leg or starting an impromptu dog fighting ring, I don’t foresee Cook’s ADP dropping out of the top five.
14.) Projected dynasty value – Usually the top rookies end up going somewhere in the second to third round
in startup drafts, which is where Cook is expected to be drafted this off-season. Ezekiel Elliott had an ADP of 17.00 last year in May, making him a mid-second round pick in startup drafts. Cook’s ADP should hover around the same range during the summer. Even if he has a non-productive rookie season, his dynasty stock shouldn’t take too much of a hit due to him being a young talented dynasty prospect. His age will provide insulation to his dynasty value during the first few seasons of his career.
15.) Recruiting Profile – Cook was a five-star recruit from Miami Central High School which is located in
Miami, Florida. He was ranked second amongst running backs and first out of the state of Florida in the 2014 recruiting class. There were many schools that had their eye on Cook, but Arkansas, Miami and Texas were the schools that were most interested in his services.
16.) Rap Sheet (Arrest Record) –
2009: He was arrested and charged with robbery, but the prosecution opted to drop the charges.
2010: Cook was charged and arrested for firing and possessing a weapon at an event on school property. The charges were later dropped.
2014: He was charged with criminal mischief after a bb-gun incident that caused property damage of more than $200 but less than $1,000.
2014: Cook was listed as an associate in a case which allegedly involved an aggravated assault by two men who flashed a firearm at a neighbor.
2014: The young prospect was cited for having three pit bull puppies tethered together by a heavy chain, choking some of the puppies and causing them to not be able to move. The puppies were also left outside without shelter.
2015: He allegedly punched a 21-year-old female in the face several times and was given a misdemeanor battery charge. Cook went to trial over the matter and was found not guilty.
17.) Injury History (Pre-existing conditions) –
3/18/14 – Tore the labrum in his right shoulder which required surgery, causing him to miss spring practices.
9/19/15 – While playing against Boston College he left the game briefly with an unspecified upper-body injury.
10/3/15 – The star running back injured his hamstring in the first quarter against Wake Forest causing him to miss the remainder of the game.
10/24/15 – He sustained an ankle injury during the loss to Georgia Tech that caused him to miss the next week’s game against Syracuse.
11/14/15 – Cook tweaked his ankle early in the game against North Carolina State but managed to play through the pain and rush for 138-yards and two touchdowns.
4/7/16 – He injured his shoulder during a pass protection drill which required surgery, causing to miss some offseason practices.
18.) High school production –
2011 (sophomore) – 90 carries, 876 yards, nine touchdowns
2012 (junior) – 132 carries, 1,451 yards, 22 touchdowns, ten catches, 269 yards, two touchdowns
2013 (senior) – 177 carries, 1,940 yards, 34 touchdowns, three catches, 37 yards
High school career – 399 carries, 4,267 yards, 65 touchdowns, 13 catches, 306 yards, two touchdowns
19.) A chief amongst Seminoles – He’s the program’s career leader with 4,464 rushing yards, 46 rushing touchdowns and 5,399 yards from scrimmage. Cook was the first Seminole to rush for over 1,000-yards during their freshman season. He joins Warrick Dunn as the only two running backs to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons for Florida State. Cook also became the first Florida State running back to have over 100-yards rushing and receiving in the same game when he rushed for 140-yards and caught a career high of 106-yards against North Carolina.
20.) Honors – During his freshman season in 2014 he was named All-ACC Second Team and made Athlon Sports’ All-Freshman Second Team. The mantle above his fire place is heavily decorated with honors from his sophomore season as he earned First Team All-ACC (Coaches, Media), The Jim Brown Award, All American First Team (FWAA, SI.com), All-American Second Team (AP, Sporting News, Walter Camp, CBSSports.com) award. He again brought home the hardware during his junior season by being proclaimed the Orange Bowl MVP, Unanimous All-American, All-ACC First Team (Media and Coaches), Doak Walker Award Finalist, Maxwell Award Finalist and a Rotary Lombardi Award Semifinalist.
[/am4show]
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Luke McCaffrey, WR Rice - April 19, 2024
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Will Shipley, RB Clemson - April 6, 2024
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin - March 29, 2024
