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Washington Redskins 2016 Draft Profiles: Connor Cook, QB

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2016 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Redskins.

By Jason Bacaj

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Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
School: Michigan State | Conference Big 10
College Experience: (R) Senior | Age: 23
Height/Weight: 6’4" / 217 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 1st - 2nd Round
NFL Comparison: Ryan Fitzpatrick

College Statistics



Player Overview
Cook won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Big Ten QB of the Year Award after a senior campaign in which he threw for more than 3,100 yards and 24 touchdowns and led the Spartans to the College Football Playoff. Cook injured his shoulder on Nov. 14 against Maryland. He missed one game but struggled through the remaining three games. The injury led him to decline an invitation to the play in the Senior Bowl.

Cook has prototypical size and improved and added to his game each year in college. He can read defenses, has a big boy arm, and is a good athlete. He logged a 33-inch vertical and a 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash. What hurts his draft status is accuracy; Cook’s completion percentage peaked his sophomore year and never topped 58 percent. You can argue that it doesn’t matter much because he played a pro-style offense rather than a spread system… but NFL offenses tend to play, you know, pro style, and NFL defensive backs are significantly better than those in the Big 10. Also, pressure flusters him more often than you’d like and — shoulder injury aside — did not perform his best in the high visibility, high pressure games.

Strengths
  • Strong arm
  • Accurate downfield
  • Compact release
  • Winningest QB in MSU history

Weaknesses
  • Sloppy footwork
  • Never broke the 60 percent completion threshold
  • A scout said, "He likes being a celebrity."
  • Leadership issues — was never elected captain despite

Let's take a look at some of his work.


How He’d Fit With the Redskins
It’s unlikely that Scot McCloughan takes a quarterback in the first three rounds. It’s even more unlikely that he’d pick one with so many character questions. And that's a good thing. Washington fans are all too familiar with quarterbacks with difficult personalities and a thirst for adulation. With the Redskins’ current quarterback situation would relegate him to a backup role, likely third-string, for most of his rookie contract. Cook has the size and physical attributes of a franchise quarterback, so a few years holding a clipboard and working in the locker room environment McC has built could be a good situation for the former Spartan.

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