Today we are going to take a look at one of our newcomers to the NSFL and free safety draft prospect, Jimmy Cooks.
The first thing that should pop out to you when you watch Cooks is his speed. Wow, this guy is fast. There's no doubt that he can add some serious range to the secondary of the team that takes this guy in the S22 draft. He played primarily in a single high safety role at Stanford, and can easily cover inside the numbers, and can even make plays near the sideline if he can anticipate the throw. In addition to his speed, Cooks has some good quickness to him. His ability to change directions quickly helps him recover in man coverage and break away from his assignment to break up deep throws. Cooks is a solid tackler as well, able to keep guys from getting by him and giving his teammates a chance to rally over and finish the job. The main thing about this guy is this: he's a serious athlete. His overall athleticism will without a doubt be valuable to his future team.
Now that we have had the chance to gush about his athleticism, let's touch on the things Jimmy does not do so well. Cooks can definitely be fooled by opposing quarterbacks eyes. There will be times when he'll break towards a receiver that's being stared down by the quarterback only for him to snap his eyes to the other side of the field and throw the ball there. He generally has a hard time consistently getting a read on the quarterback. His speed can bail him out of it most of the time, but it might not be as easy for him when he moves to the next level, where guys are much bigger and stronger.
Overall, Jimmy Cooks looks like a strong prospect who can contribute early on. He needs some coaching to help him read the field better, but if he can put it all together with his athleticism, he can turn into one seriously good player. I just hope he ends up with the right staff to help him reach his full potential.
The first thing that should pop out to you when you watch Cooks is his speed. Wow, this guy is fast. There's no doubt that he can add some serious range to the secondary of the team that takes this guy in the S22 draft. He played primarily in a single high safety role at Stanford, and can easily cover inside the numbers, and can even make plays near the sideline if he can anticipate the throw. In addition to his speed, Cooks has some good quickness to him. His ability to change directions quickly helps him recover in man coverage and break away from his assignment to break up deep throws. Cooks is a solid tackler as well, able to keep guys from getting by him and giving his teammates a chance to rally over and finish the job. The main thing about this guy is this: he's a serious athlete. His overall athleticism will without a doubt be valuable to his future team.
Now that we have had the chance to gush about his athleticism, let's touch on the things Jimmy does not do so well. Cooks can definitely be fooled by opposing quarterbacks eyes. There will be times when he'll break towards a receiver that's being stared down by the quarterback only for him to snap his eyes to the other side of the field and throw the ball there. He generally has a hard time consistently getting a read on the quarterback. His speed can bail him out of it most of the time, but it might not be as easy for him when he moves to the next level, where guys are much bigger and stronger.
Overall, Jimmy Cooks looks like a strong prospect who can contribute early on. He needs some coaching to help him read the field better, but if he can put it all together with his athleticism, he can turn into one seriously good player. I just hope he ends up with the right staff to help him reach his full potential.
