Player: Connor Cook
Position: Quarterback
School: Michigan State
Draft Status: Fourth Round, 100th Pick (Oakland Raiders)
Dynasty Rookie Quarterback Ranking: #5
College Stats | Year | Class | Comp % | Yards | TD | INT |
| 2012 | Freshman | 52.9 | 94 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Sophomore | 58.7 | 2,755 | 22 | 6 |
| 2014 | Junior | 58.1 | 3,214 | 24 | 8 |
| 2015 | Senior | 56.1 | 3,131 | 24 | 7 |
| Totals | Four Years | 57.5 | 9,194 | 71 | 22 |
A three-year starter at Michigan State, Cook took over when Kirk Cousins graduated to the NFL back in 2013. He wasted no time taking over the mantle, leading the Spartans to a 13-1 record and a win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. That season saw Cook put up 304 yards and three scores against Ohio State to earn a spot in that big game. He then followed that up with 332 yards and two scores against the Cardinal.
Unfortunately for Cook, that represented the height of his college career at Michigan State. He'd lead the team to an 11-2 record and a win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl as a junior before helping the Spartans earn a spot in the second annual College Football Playoffs.
Dealing with injuries and going up against Alabama in the National Semifinal, Cook struggled big time in his final college game, throwing for 210 yards and two picks en route to a 38-0 loss to the Crimson Tide.
This came on the heels of Cook failing to earn a spot as a team captain in 2015, something that would follow him throughout the entire pre-draft process.
Scouting Report
Strengths: While his stats won't necessarily show it, Cook did improve each season he was under center for Michigan State. The most notable improvement was his ability to progress through reads like it was second nature in the pocket. He scanned the field better than any quarterback prospect in the 2016 NFL draft, showing pro-ready skill-set in that aspect of the game. Can provide touch on intermediate routes, has a solid pocket awareness and took a majority of his snaps from under center with Michigan State. Plus-level arm strength with an ability to make every throw on the field.
Weaknesses: Needs to work on accuracy on both intermediate and down-field passes. Struggles with touch on short passes. Issues with mechanics led to a ton of errant throws in college, especially lower-body movement through throwing motion. Major questions regarding his personality and on-field leadership. Does tend to rely too much on primary target when on the run. Not the most mobile quarterback. Pure pocket passer.
2016 Outlook
There's really nothing to see here. Cook will not start for the Oakland Raiders short of complete disaster in front of him on the depth chart. He will likely enter the 2016 season as the third-string quarterback, a developmental type. Even if Derek Carr does miss time to injury, there's no reason to believe the Raiders will throw Cook out there. Completely irrelevant in standard re-draft leagues.
Dynasty Outlook
Not much here either. Cook's best outlook when it comes to the dynasty lens is to sit behind Carr for a couple seasons and find a potential starting job elsewhere via a trade. Short of Carr completely regressing, Cook wasn't brought on to challenge him for the starting job. It was all about bringing in a potentially capable backup with extreme mid-round value. Should Cook show his stuff in preseason over the next couple years, I am pretty sure other teams will come calling.
Though, that's not necessarily something you can bank on. Still a rosterable option in big dyno leagues because of his ceiling. Just not someone to even consider playing a role until he actually has a clear path to a starting job.