Scouting Report on Connor Cook

Connor Cook, Michigan State, 22 years old, SR, 6'4", 218 pounds:

Some draft analysts think that Connor Cook will be a first round pick. Some even think he's even in the conversation for the first overall pick. I'm not in either boat. Cook has several major flaws and I don't think he should even be in the conversation as the class of 2016's top QB. He has some natural tools but the flaws he has are too big to warrant a high selection.

I'll start with the good aspects of Cook. He does possess a good amount of arm strength, and has zip on his ball even when his feet aren't set. Sometimes this is actually a detriment, but I'll get to that later. Cook has a very nice release though and gets the ball out quick. He's also surprisingly mobile for someone as big as he is. Due to his arm strength, he can fit the ball into very tight windows, leading to some very impressive throws. He often has flashes of brilliance, and has won a lot of big time games. And he has the prototypical big frame that scouts crave, at 6'4", 218. Another thing scouts like is that he is in a Pro Style offense at Michigan State, which is becoming rarer at the college level. He does have some things going for him, but does not possess many of the traits I look for in QBs.

The flaws with Cook are pretty significant. First off, Cook's accuracy is very inconsistent. He goes from pushing the ball into a tiny window, to not being able to throw an accurate pass to a wide open checkdown. He routinely throws the ball way behind wide open targets, taking away great YAC opportunities. But arguably a bigger flaw (because it's much harder to fix) is his decision making. Since he knows he can zip the ball into tight spaces, he tries to do so way too often. He has shown a habit of throwing balls into double coverage for no reason, even though the receiver has no chance to make a play. When there is nothing there, instead of throwing the ball away, Cook tries to force the ball down the field. These kind of mistakes don't fly in the NFL. Cook also gets sped up whenever the defensive front gets pressure, which compounds the inconsistent accuracy and bad decision making and makes it way worse. The key to getting him to make mistakes is pressuring him, and I wasn't very impressed by how Cook moved in the pocket to counteract that either. He often rolls out prematurely, and his o-line keeps blocking for him as if he's still in the pocket, allowing the defense to run right at him. When he sticks in the pocket, he doesn't move around it well, and doesn't seem to have a good awareness of where the rushers are, resulting in sacks.

I really don't think Cook is someone you can consider in the first round, and I think he will fall on draft day. It's tough to teach the things Cook needs work on, like decision making, instincts, and accuracy. He has some tools to work with but I don't see it working for Cook in the NFL.

Pros: Arm Strength, Release, Frame, Flashes

Cons: Consistency, Decision Making, Accuracy

Grade: 6.2/10 (Mediocre Starter/3rd Round Grade)

Where I Would Take Him: Late 2nd/Early 3rd