Connor Cook started his final year at Michigan State with high expectations: Beat Oregon. Get to the Big Ten title game. Compete for a playoff berth. Contend for the Heisman.
Through two games, the third-year starter has lived up to the hype. After an adequate (far from stellar) performance against Western Michigan, I questioned whether Cook deserves a first-round nod from a quarterback-needy team.
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But his performance against an athletic, well-coached Oregon defense displayed his refinement. His highlights don’t excite quite like Marcus Mariota’s or Johnny Manziel’s, but his poise, control and ball placement get NFL scouts giddy with "franchise quarterback" talk.
Play-action: taking advantage of aggressiveness
Michigan State’s defense, loaded with NFL talent in the last two seasons, has been its rock. But a transition to offensive reliance is prevalent this year. A young secondary, a starting linebacker lost to injury and a strong crop lost to the NFL has put more pressure on Cook, though the offense hasn’t changed drastically.
But one area the offense has continued to utilize in Cook’s favor is in play-action. Cook is one of the best play-action passers in recent draft history, thanks to his experience in classic drop back sets and his timing on receiver breaks.
While he struggles more when rolling left, Cook utilized play-action on the play below along with a right side rollout, putting both vertical and lateral pressure on the linebackers and defensive backs. He finished the throw with efficient body mechanics for a first down.
This second play, however, is a very common NFL play-action opportunity: the quick slant. While it’s simplistic and under-appreciated, Cook’s exaggerated sell of the play-action with his footwork, pace and body makes all three linebackers bite in run defense. Cook turns back to the field quickly, plants his back foot and leads his slanting receiver perfectly for a near-touchdown.
Pocket presence: control, poise under pressure
While his play-action success isn’t much of a surprise, his further improvements from the pocket gives scouts more confidence in his NFL transition.
Cook’s offense allows/requires him to make both pre-snap determinations and post-snap progressions on nearly all passing plays. As a third-year starter, he has received the trust and freedom from the coaching staff. It’s allowed Cook to win from the pocket, rather than have the play-caller win from the sideline.
In a glowing example of his pocket presence and progressions, the play below showcases Cook, after his five-step drop, scan right to left at three different receiving options. Cook boasted quick, decisive field switching, with great footwork and balance as he shifts his body to each read, and finishes with a first-down.
While the play above shows off Cook’s range in progressions and confidence, the play below further displays his decisiveness and finishing ability as a passer as he works through progressions. From his own end zone, he transitions from his seam-route to his deep-out for a completion. But what’s most impressive is that, A) he needed to trust his pre-snap pressure recognition being that he’s in his own end zone and B) his transition from reads needed to be well-timed based on the route breaks.
Pass placement: conversions and YAC potential
The final “P” in Cook’s plus-performance against Oregon was his accuracy. Moving past just completing passes, Cook struggles at times to keep high velocity, mid-field throws under control, and to lead receivers well enough to allow for yards after the catch.
He struggled in this area against Western Michigan, limiting third-down and touchdown-conversion opportunities. But that wasn’t a problem against Oregon, with Cook completing mid-field and edge throws for first downs, and giving receivers on slant routes the opportunity to pick up big chunks of yards after the catch.
In the play below, Cook took an uncharacteristic risk along the sideline, but placed his pass perfectly between zone coverage, allowing for a jump ball catch that kept his receiver in bounds. On fourth down late in the game, Cook’s placement on this throw help solidify the win.
Cardale Jones is the flashy, big-armed quarterback who generates the most excitement of the 2016 quarterback class. Christian Hackenberg has done his draft evaluation no favors in the first two games of 2015. Neither has shown the NFL refinement and readiness that Cook has in their respective careers.
Cook may not exhibit star qualities, elite arm strength or flashy running ability, but his success off play-action, from the pocket and with impressive ball placement will continue to win decision makers over in the draft process, and his performance against Oregon will continue to be a staple for his first round-worthy argument.
Eric Galko is the owner and director of scouting at Optimum Scouting and OptimumScouting.com, as well as a Sporting News contributor. Follow him on Twitter: @OptimumScouting