The MOST Physical WR Product in 2009's Draft http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/photo/2007-11/33732123.jpg Former Tight End Jared Cook out of the University of South Carolina. 6'5 242 with blazing speed for a guy his size. I know almost everyone has him listed as a tight end, but he's not one. He can't block worth a damn. Before the Dustin Keller comparisons start, he's got 3 inches on Keller and he's much faster: J-Cook reportedly ran a 4.37 40 at a South Carolina workout. He started at free safety and wide receiver in high school, so that shows how athletic this kid is. Cook would have been much, much more productive if he didn't play in Steve Spurrier's god awful offense. Still, he averaged around 15 yards per catch over the past two seasons. He's shown great ability as a receiver. His route running would have to be worked with, but that is very coach-able. As much as I hate Steve Spurrier, I love his comparison of Jared Cook. He reminds the old ball coach of Calvin Johnson. Cook has the potential to be a beastly NFL wideout. I believe that's where his future is.
It all depends on the Offensive Coordinator and his ability to scheme. Yeah you can line him outside on a CB and have Dustin Keller run up the seam. But I think the asking price is gonna be too high and we have other needs. I like him, but like I said, it all depends on the offensive coordinator's ability to use him in different ways.
Well, if Mr.E has discovered him, that means every other team will now undoubtably find out about this kid and he won't be a secret anymore... I'm convinced NFL teams check this message board when building their draft boards. CONVINCED!!!
What's his projected draft stock? I know it all depends on his 40 and combine, but if he impresses do you think he'll be a 2nd rounder?
Cook might have great speed for his size, which he does in the high 4.5s, but the Calvin Johnson comparison is a bad one and I don't think he'd be a beastly WR in the NFL. Calvin Johnson ran a low 4.3 and thus can get great separation from CBs. Cook won't get separation from NFL DBs so unless you're going to throw him a jump ball every time he won't be beastly. Johnson can also make the remarkable catch and Cook has never had to. He's also let balls get through his hands and into his chest at times. By comparing to him to Calvin Johnson you're just trying to make him sound better than he is. Cook will be a great mismatch TE in the NFL and he will learn to block. He'd be a good WR - never the likes of Calvin Johnson - but he'll stay at TE. If you are just looking for a physical WR with size, look at Carlos Singelton and Wes Lyons in next year's draft. They're both 6'8.
I love skinny TE as an H-back or big WR. I think their size and strength gives them a real advantage in getting separation on CB and S. And a lot of guys have had success lately in that role: Dustin Keller, Colston for the Saints, Greg Olsen for the Bears, Brandon Marshall. For 2009 it might be Shawn Nelson from Southern Mississippi. He's 6-5, 240 and not known for his blocking. But I think he could excel if his primary responsibility were simply pass receiving. Nelson had a great Senior Bowl and Mike Mayock is already signing the guy's praises. Look for him to shoot up the draft boards. Travis Beckum from Wisconsin might have been another if he had not gotten injured. But he was so talented before getting hurt some team may still take a flyer on him.
Cmon, let's no go crazy here. That comparison was made by Spurrier almost 2 years ago, when Cook was a whole 6 catches into his college football career. It also pointed out that he "struggled cutting and getting away from guys". I can see Cook being a difference maker at TE, where his athleticism will be top level, but if he can't get away from DBs there's no future at WR, no matter how big he is.
Warhound7......as much as I would like to think the Jet's check this board, it's not happening. That's what they pay their scouts to accomplish. Btw, I would love to be an NFL scout, travel and write reports on prospective players. If the Jets were listening last year, they would have never drafted Gholston, from all my negative posts on VG
I wasn't comparing him to Calvin Johnson. Spurrier said Cook could be Carolina's CJ - a big, physical, fast target. If the offense turned out the way Spurrier wanted it to, Cook would have put up huge numbers. He was their number one option in the passing game, even with wideout Kenny McKinley on the field. He spent most of this season split out at WR, and he gained plenty of separation...SC's QB play was just flat out horrible.
thats the question I wanted to ask.... How is his route running?? You can be a marginally fast WR in this league, but if you can cut better than anyone else and get that separation, you will get the ball every time.
It sure sounded that way. There is a big diffrence from him running in the 4.3 range and the high 4.5's.
He runs a high 4.5 (4.58). If he runs anything lower, especially if it is in the 4.4s, then all he did was lose weight and practice the 40 so he could get a good time. Then after the combine and workouts he'll put the weight back on and then add the pads and he is once again a high 4.5 to low 4.6 guy.
I think he getting his information from the sportingnews - one of the worst draft guides out there. They claim Cook speed is 4.37 Height: 6-5 Weight: 242 40-yard dash: 4.37 10-yard dash: 20-yard shuttle: 60-yard shuttle: Broad jump: 225-lb. bench: 3-cone drill: Vertical jump: Wonderlic: 20-yard dash Career statistics Receiving Rushing Team Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Rec./TD Att. Yds. Avg. TD '06 S. Carolina 6 113 18.8 1 6.0 0 0 0.0 0 '07 S. Carolina 30 421 14.0 3 10.0 0 0 0.0 0 '08 S. Carolina 37 573 15.5 3 12.3 0 0 0.0 0 Totals 73 1107 15.2 7 10.4 0 0 0.0 0
Nah, I got my info from an insider page on rivals. I also attend Univ of South Carolina and I remember when he supposedly ran it -- everyone was talking about him...and the production never happened. You can link his stats all you want - no one put up big numbers in Spurrier's offense this season, the QB play was awful.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKt9T-27ZIg[/YOUTUBE] Does that look like 4.37 speed? Not really. Matt Jones went in the first mainly because of a solid 40 time.
^^^^ That looked close to 4.37 speed. The tightend was probably running a 4.5, I'm not even sure of that. I don't anybody tightend that we know for sure ran a 4.5 in college would have gotten caught by a safety that was beat that bad.
