I am a proponent of all running backs getting paid as soon as possible. Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey opted to sit their bowls out (and that’s fine). Florida State’s Dalvin Cook decided he’d play in the Orange Bowl in his hometown in front of over 30 family members. He dazzled us in garnet and gold one last time in the win over Michigan Friday night.
Dalvin Cook is headed to the NFL after a stupendous Orange Bowl performance
Go get paid.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Cook had 145 yards on the ground and 62 receiving, none more important than that long run that was this close to being a touchdown. But now, it’s on to bigger and better things.
On Saturday, via a live stream on his Instagram, Cook announced that he will forgo his senior season and head to the NFL draft. He’ll be one of a handful of backs, along with the two who skipped bowls, with a chance to land in the first round.
The thing that will always jump off the screen about Cook is his electric speed, and his ability to accelerate into, during, and out of a change of direction cut. Bill Connelly wrote about the fifth gear and the run in the GIF at the top of this story.
This was maybe the most Dalvin Cook play of Cook’s career. Over the last three years, no one in college football has killed defenders’ angles better than Cook. He has no third or fourth gear — he just goes straight from second to fifth. Four different potential Michigan tacklers thought they had him. And a fifth, who definitely had the angle on him at one point, was only able to shove him out of bounds by a millimeter.
Cook is FSU’s leading rusher, and will go down as a Seminole legend despite never getting a Heisman invite to New York. He was a special talent in Tallahassee, and here’s hoping he’s still just as spectacular in the pros.
See More:
