Cook’s Posse Scares NFL

April 28th, 2017

What the hell is going on?

So how in the hell has stud running back Dalvin Cook gotten through the first round without being drafted? It’s mindboggling to Joe.

Yet there he is if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht wants him (and if he doesn’t, Joe has questions).

It seems, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the NFL is freaked out by Cook’s posse from Miami.

“So the reason as far as I’m told (his slide) relates to some of the people that he hangs out with off the field,” Rapoport said. “It’s more upbringing than character if that makes any sense. Because at this point, from what I’m told, the on-field character is very good, considered to be at Florida State an excellent teammate, a very hard worker. But some of it is the situations he puts himself in off the field. He has promised teams that the people around him are not coming with him to the NFL, and we’ll see how that puts him as far as the standing goes in the second round today.”

Well, for an interesting perspective, Ira Schoffel, the former sports editor and Florida State football beat reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat and current managing editor of Warchant.com thinks it’s a complete con that NFL teams are wigging out over Cook’s posse. And the proof is who did get drafted in the first round.

@IraSchoffel: Not hearing the character BS. [Teams] drafted a guy kicked out of 5 schools, another accused of sexual assault, guys who failed drug tests … My guess is Dalvin goes where most elite RBs go … in the second round. Now if another back goes before him, I’ll listen to character talk.

Since Schoffel covered Cook for years in Tallahassee, he may have better knowledge of what is going on than someone who is in Philadelphia relying on team suits who may be using him in an effort to keep Cook sliding into said their lap.

There is just something altogether weird about this.

61 Responses to “Cook’s Posse Scares NFL”

  1. gotbbucs Says:

    Nothing weird at all as far as I’m concerned. He’s a running back with red flags. They don’t get picked high unless they are world beaters.

  2. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Toss in being super over-rated, 3 shoulder surgeries, numerous run-ins with the Po Po, and he’s a fumbler.

    Continue the trend from last night.

    PASS!

  3. Mort Says:

    It’s not that hard to understand.

    Deep position group, many teams don’t have a need, other position groups have no depth.

  4. Kevin Says:

    Whatever….don’t care. He won’t be a Buc. Jason licht isn;t going to waste our second rounder on a guy who has both off field and medical question marks. Sure he is talented but unless he can convince the gm’s he’s not a problem waiting to happen he will slide. If it is in fact true he surrounds himself with idiots thats his dumbarse, you gotta leave that crap behind and worry about YOU!!!

    Again, I will be THRILLED to get a guy like Perine in the 3rd!!!!!!!!!

  5. ImJustHereForJameisNews Says:

    There is nothing overrated about Cook, Blake. Watch the full games and the situations he thrives in. I see the concern over injuries, which is a legitament concern especially at the next level, my defense for him would be he still played. He ran over 1k yards on one hamstring for the entire season.

  6. Trubucfan22 Says:

    He is sinply not as good as FSU fans think he is. His character isnt that bad that it would make him slide by it’s self. But the injury history, the terrible numbers at the combine. The inability to run between the tackles. Teams are lookin for more from a first round pick. Dalvin just isnt good enough. Second round is his home. It’s where he always belonged. He didnt slide, this is where he was always meant to be. Don’t believe the hype from FSU homers that think he is a world class RB, he isnt. But as a late second round pick he will have a decent career for some team.

  7. Rob Says:

    For you people saying cook is not that good. You don’t know football. It’s his injuries and the people he hangs out with that is causing him to slide. He’s a phenomenal running back and you just don’t know football if you don’t think so. I was against taking him in the first round and I’m glad we didn’t. But if he’s there at 50 I have no doubt we take him.

  8. Buc1987 Says:

    “My guess is Dalvin goes where most elite RBs go … in the second round.”

    I concur with Schoffel.

  9. Not Joe Says:

    Can’t run between the tackles!? Yards after contact…. that’s his best stat.

  10. Mo_Downs Says:

    Ever Failed a Drug Test..??

    Yeah, ditch your friends when you make it big…

    Look, I’m a Joe Mixon fan, soooo…kids do kid stuff.

    OTOH, depriving a man the ability to make a living in his chosen profession is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

    VERY FEW TEAMS HAVE 100% STERLING CHARACTERS ON THEIR TEAMS.

    THE EPITHETS “THUG”, “GHETTO”, “HOOD RAT” are easy to throw around.
    Doing so to identify someone’s CHARACTER by WHERE they live rather than HOW they live is just ignorant…

  11. Fsuking Says:

    Yea seriously. Saying Dalvin Cook isn’t good means you have never seen him play. “Simple as that”. And if you have seen him play and you don’t think he is gonn be a top 5 running back in the NF, Then you’re dumb. “Simple as that”

  12. Skipper Says:

    @Blake, Over rated? 1 of 6 touches was a big play, watch much much college football?

  13. CalBucsFan Says:

    I’m curious, how many of you Buc bloggers would trade up to get Cook, even if it would cost this year’s second and next years first?

  14. Buc1987 Says:

    Dalvin Cook….was FSU’s offense. Dalvin Cook….thee end.

  15. Buc1987 Says:

    CalBucsFan…I’m a Nole and I say no.

  16. Jason Says:

    Word is the Bucs are one team trying to trade for the Packers’ pick. They sure as hell are probably gunning for Cook.

  17. Jason Says:

    For the record, I hate the idea of us trading up for anyone in this deep draft

  18. Buc1987 Says:

    OJ Howard the steal of the draft? That will belong to Cook if he keeps sliding.

  19. jenaw Says:

    Cook comes from the same neighborhood that Devonta Freeman (same HS & college) comes from and to make it out of there is an achievement in itself. The ‘character’ chatter is crap. Cook is viewed by his FSU teammates & coaches as highly as Winston was. He has already left the Miami crowd behind and has been living in Boca Raton since getting out of college!

    For all you yapping that Cook ‘isn’t as good as we have actually watched him believe – lets check the stats against who the Bucs DID take in the first round.
    O J Howard –
    2013, with 14 receptions for 269 yards & two touchdowns
    2014, with 17 receptions for 260 yards.
    2015, with 38 receptions for 602 yards & 2 touchdowns.
    2016, with 45 receptions (15 games) for 595 yards & 3 touchdowns
    Dalvin Cook –
    2014, with 1008 yards rushing & 8 touchdowns; with 22 receptions for 203 yards.
    2015, with 1,691 yards rushing & 19 touchdowns; with 24 receptions for 244 yards and 1 touchdown
    2016, with 1,765 yards rushing & 19 touchdowns; with 33 receptions for 488 yards and 1 touchdown

    Bucs want offense. Any of you REALLY believe Howard is going to offer more than Cook? if you do you need to change what you’re smoking!

    Health issues? Cook playing hurt (which he did WITHOUT whining and complaining – hello Fournette, McCaffrey, Peppers et al & still missed very little of playing time) was better than almost everyone else while they were playing healthy! He passed the Combine health assessment on his shoulders and bench pressed 22 reps with those supposedly ‘bad shoulders’.

    Cook will make big plays & score lots of touchdowns in the NFL for some lucky team for years and I will giggle and jeer the Bucs each time, for passing him over for some lumbering TE with a whole 7 touchdowns in a 4 year college career!

  20. LakeLandBuc Says:

    But we saw Gareon Conley ( Under investigation for rape) Jabrill Peppers ( diluted drug test) Rueben Foster ( diluted drug test ) get drafted in the 1st round.

  21. LakeLandBuc Says:

    But we saw Gareon Conley, Rueben Foster, Jabrill Peppers get drafted in the 1st round.

  22. admin Says:

    But we saw Gareon Conley ( Under investigation for rape) Jabrill Peppers ( diluted drug test) Rueben Foster ( diluted drug test ) get drafted in the 1st round.

    And a guy who got run out of school multiple times.

  23. rayjay1122 Says:

    What a stupid post. Howard is now a Buc so if you claim to be a Buc fan, how about not ripping him to pimp Cook who as of now is NOT a Buc! Idiot!

  24. Tampa Tony Says:

    Only two Cook stories on Joedalvincookfan.com today

    Lee is slacking

  25. Pick6 Says:

    I think those concerns are much more significant if he were drafted by the bucs or dolphins than almost anywhere else in the country. When you come from a rough place and survived it alongside some others growing up who didn’t make the same good choices you did, the easiest way to distance yourself from potential problems is by literally and physically distancing yourself. If the Packers or Vikings draft him, i don’t see his buddies from Miami rolling up for the weekend or crashing with him indefinitely during football season

  26. LakeLandBuc Says:

    Dalvin Cook will follow in the footsteps of another RB that grew up in Miami that had injury problems and he fell all the way into the 3rd round. And after 13,065 rushing yards, 3,427 receiving yards and 5 Pro Bowls later. Frank Gore will go down as one of the most productive and consistent RB of all time. He miss 12 games in 12 seasons and he’s still playing for the Colts. Truly amazing for someone, who was dismissed as Injury Prone and could never paly 3 seasons in the NFL>

  27. Buccfan37 Says:

    At this point of the draft spectacle anything can happen. I’d be good with Cook as a Buc.

  28. Defense Rules Says:

    Still don’t see what the big deal is. Licht drafted OJ Howard because he was the best player still on the board who met a priority Bucs need (we’re not exactly swimming in quality TEs). It was obviously a stroke of good fortune (no one ever expected OJ to fall to #19 it seems) and Licht jumped at it. Bravo! If Cook is still there when we pick at #50 … AND if Licht has him rated as the best player still available who meets a priority Bucs need … I’d venture to guess that we’ll draft Cook. Dalvin’s got a TON of talent, but there are several red flags that GMs probably refused to ignore in the 1st rnd (and maybe in the 2nd). If Cook isn’t there at #50, there are quite a few other quality RBs who could serve the Bucs very well for years. Not really a big deal … Jason made the right decision.

  29. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    The health thing worries me, but if we take Cook in the second round, I’ll wish we had taken a Safety, but I’d live with it. He IS on my wish list after all…though I prefer another RB (not Mixon).

  30. Pickgrin Says:

    IMO – Cook is an amazing talent and its crazy that he’s available at the top of the 2nd round. I said for weeks that he’d be gone by 19 and frankly I’m still shocked that he’s fallen to the 2nd. I’ll take my lumps for overrating Dalvin if anyone wants to dish them out. But nothing has changed about the fact that 3 years worth of consistent tape proves Cook is a special talent at RB – and you can be quite sure he won’t last long tonight.

    I would be 100% on board with trading our next year’s 3rd round pick along with our 2nd to move up to the top of the 2nd to grab Cook. Would also be happy to see them do the exact same for Budda Baker and then grab Hunt or Perine in the 3rd.

  31. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    I agree with Defense Rules.

    BPA all the way at a position of need. Last night, Howard was that. I am very happy with that pick, even though my preference before the draft was a different player. Howard was on my list, but I figured the chances of him sliding to us were maybe 20% if that. Same with several other players high up on my list.

    Licht had some good options…and he used the BPA to perfection.

  32. Ndog Says:

    Ignore Blake fellas cause at this point I’m not sure he has ever actually watched football.

  33. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    I do not agree with trading up for Cook though…if anything, the comments Joe quoted might make him slide further…maybe to us or even to the third.

  34. SCBucsFan Says:

    Also injury concerns, his poor combine and poor SPARQ test results.

    If he does fall to 50, I’d definitely consider him though.

  35. tdtb2015 Says:

    Budda Baker, Marlon Mack, Godwin, Jones, Perine, Demarcus Walker

    Landing 2 of the above will make my night.

    Go Bucs!!!

  36. Ndog Says:

    Someone will get a steal tonight and get a very motivated player. That is certain and anyone who thinks Cook is not a very exciting prospect has an agenda.

  37. Cap Says:

    @jenaw You seriously can’t compare numbers with a blocking TE and a RB.

  38. NJBucsFan Says:

    Skipper Says:
    April 28th, 2017 at 5:56 pm
    @Blake, Over rated? 1 of 6 touches was a big play, watch much much college football?

    @Skipper 1 in every 68 touches is a fumble. He is overrated. Same stats as Ameer Abdullah. Did you want him 2 yrs ago?

  39. Armand Says:

    Didn’t we hear all these rumors about Jameis as well? Over-rated Blake_bucsfan ?
    He destroyed every team he played against maybe your too busy with your head up a certain hole

  40. JabooBuc Says:

    NJBucsFan- to compare Cook to Ameer Abdullah means you haven’t watched college football. It’s just dumb. We can argue all day whether or not the Bucs should draft him but he is a far better talent than Ameer Abdullah.

  41. caradoc Says:

    ” Not hearing the character BS. [Teams] drafted a guy kicked out of 5 schools, another accused of sexual assault, guys who failed drug tests”
    .
    If people believe Conley, then there is no validity in including that in the list, and the “failed drug tests” were dilute, not positive. Homerism abounds around Cook for some. Shades of CMG hover around him for everyone else.

  42. JimmyJack Says:

    The reason Cook is still not picked is same reason why Blount could have the season he had and not get offered a buttload of money.

    RB is not the primo position it once was

  43. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Armand Says:
    April 28th, 2017 at 7:27 pm
    Didn’t we hear all these rumors about Jameis as well? Over-rated Blake_bucsfan ?
    He destroyed every team he played against maybe your too busy with your head up a certain hole

    I knew Jameis was a stud from the first time I ever watched him play soooooooo yeah, My opinion of Dalvin is what is based on his injury concerns and my own opinion that his tape is not that impressive. Majority of he big runs are just sweeping runs to a wide open alley. Don’t see his game translating to the pro’s, and don’t see him staying healthy either.

    These are just strong gut feelings.

  44. Q Says:

    Vikings got cook

  45. Stpetebucsfan Says:

    I do not get the “Combine” diss. So he had a bad day. If a guy runs a 4.4 40 one place and a 4.59 another which one are you going to believe. If a guy is measured by the sports scientists as one of the two fastest players in the NCAA in uniform over 20 yards while actually playing.

    The Combine should be a non issue. Dalvin’s physical talents are amazing and should be a non issue.

    That leaves two. Injuries. They can happen to anybody but once players get a history fair or not it can dog them which is exactly how the ‘Skin got Jonathan Allen…he too has “shoulder issues”. I get that issue but trust our due diligence there if we take him…if not and he’s available probably didn’t check out physically.

    And the last issue…the homies from the hood. While I agree with….

    WELL NEVER MIND!!! Damn Vikings!

  46. Richbucsfan Says:

    To the Vikings

  47. Shawnbuc Says:

    what do we write about know ???

  48. Kstoges Says:

    has nos bos commented once yet I actually feel bad for him I get hit he just wanted his favorite player from fsu when we have a huge need at running back I get it PSA to nos bos it’s all gunna be ok brotha when we win the south everything will be just fine salute brotha!

  49. Eric Says:

    Yes thank you Vikings! Now I won’t have to read anymore Dalvin Cook! LOVE IT!!!

  50. Steve from Oregon Says:

    What is Nosbos going to say, giving his worthless guarantee…let him be silent.

  51. Buccanstopit Says:

    America’s Running Back goes to Minnesota. Enough said

  52. Doctor Stroud Says:

    If there is any truth to the report about Cook’s “posse”, then he might be better off in Minnesota than in Tampa. I wish him the best!

  53. BigHogHaynes Says:

    Litch nutted-up…should have taken THE MIDIGATING FACTOR!!

  54. "that guy" Says:

    The question should be…… how the @#$@#$@ does Jason Licht draft a tight end in the first(??????) and NOT TRADE UP IN THE SECOND for a running back that not only fits the scheme that Dirk Koetter runs, but could be the best all around back drafted in the last 10 years. Dalvin Cook did’nt even have a team around him and damn near(take it with a grain of salt) made Florida State a contender by himself. and of course Minnesota picks him up to tutor under Peterson….. great. You trade up for cook on general principal of keeping off of NFC south teams, regardless if your going to use him or not. But he FITS THE SCHEME Koetter runs! I have supported Licht’s draft choices in the past 2 drafts, but this maneuver brings up a lot of question marks in my book. But hell maybe he will prove me wrong.

    And i hope he does.

  55. "that guy" Says:

    CalBucsFan Says:
    April 28th, 2017 at 6:00 pm
    I’m curious, how many of you Buc bloggers would trade up to get Cook, even if it would cost this year’s second and next years first?

    me.

  56. "that guy" Says:

    and I’m a Florida fan.

  57. "that guy" Says:

    Defense Rules Says:
    April 28th, 2017 at 6:38 pm
    Still don’t see what the big deal is. Licht drafted OJ Howard because he was the best player still on the board who met a priority Bucs need (we’re not exactly swimming in quality TEs). It was obviously a stroke of good fortune (no one ever expected OJ to fall to #19 it seems) and Licht jumped at it. Bravo! If Cook is still there when we pick at #50 … AND if Licht has him rated as the best player still available who meets a priority Bucs need … I’d venture to guess that we’ll draft Cook. Dalvin’s got a TON of talent, but there are several red flags that GMs probably refused to ignore in the 1st rnd (and maybe in the 2nd). If Cook isn’t there at #50, there are quite a few other quality RBs who could serve the Bucs very well for years. Not really a big deal … Jason made the right decision.

    strongly disagree. the more snaps Brate had, the more he produced. i was skeptical about him and viewed him as a backup TE until last season. game after game he made plays in big moments while he was covered/taking hits, mainly on 3rd downs and 2 minute drills. i would understand this O.J. Howard pick if they moved him to receiver, or if he was targeted constantly by Alabama. But he was not. he had the speed to beat defenses when they werent looking at him, and if you watch his highlights, he was not the reason that he ended up wide open. he was a scheme product of a good couch who put him in the right situations at the right times.

    but then again I’m not arguing him going to the Bucs in the

  58. "that guy" Says:

    first round, I am just not understanding how you do not trade up for cook in the second, and instead grab a saftey(the bucs did need one) who will most likely only be seen on the feild in 3rd and long, and packages that require 3 saftys and 4 CBs….

    you have a proven athletic talent that is versatile enough to play multiple positions and smart enough to make it easy for a bad offensive line, and you pass on the option to trade up in the second round to grab him ? and let him go to the vikings!?!?!? just the fact that he landed in Minnesota to tutor under Peterson should say enough about the caliber of player that he is. he was a steal at at 33 and i just do not see how you make, not even the slightest effort, to pursue him as a trade up option.

    p.s. bucs do not need another starting TE.

  59. Nano107 Says:

    All the FSU fans and Joe are sad now
    Bye Felicia stay cold in Minessota lol

  60. jenaw Says:

    interesting how no one could counter Cook’s stats.

    Cap – I saw nothing while checking out Howard’s stats and college bio that talked up his blocking. Is he big? Yeah. Did he do a whole lot with it? Not from what I read about him. His singular achievement seems to have been against Clemson in Bama’s championship win. That one achievement in 4 years of college ball!

    You want TE to TE comparisons?

    FSU’s Nick O’Leary had 1591 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns in 4 years and he was John Mackey Award finalist in 2013 and the award winner in 2014 as well as a consensus All American.

    With all that, and he never wore gloves, he was still a TE and was only drafted in the 6th round. O’Leary’s accomplishments outshine anything Howard has done so my question remains the same?

    Why take Howard as a first round pick when he brings next to nothing to the team?

  61. BucfaninMo Says:

    Jenaw: Alabamas offense did not focus on using OJ as a weapon. Try watching film instead of reading stats.