The 2022 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Bryan Cook 2022 NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Safety
Size: 6-foot-1, 206 pounds
Class: Senior
2021 stats: 96 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 9 passes defended
Cook helped Cincinnati’s program reach new heights over the last two seasons. Now, he is headed to the 2022 NFL Draft.
Out of high school, Cook had one offer and attended Howard University. He spent two seasons with Howard before transferring to Cincinnati. Cook sat out the 2019 season after transferring, but was allowed to play in the bowl game. He then played sparingly in 2020, registering 26 total tackles. The 2021 season offered him a chance to enter the starting lineup. He delivered with 96 total tackles, two interceptions and nine passes defended. Cook helped lead the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff.
Following a great season with the Bearcats, Cook is heading to the pro level. He is a projected third to fifth-round pick.
Cook has solid size for an NFL safety at 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds. He also has solid arm length at 31 7/8-inch arms. His play strength is also above average. Cook uses his size to play to his strengths, as he can come up and play the run and uses his physicality when in coverage.
He is good at playing in the box and stopping the run. Cook is able to diagnose where a play is going and then flies through traffic to make a play. He is capable of putting down big hits on ball carriers or can make good form tackles. His presence in the box is an asset to his defense.
What makes Cook an appealing modern safety is that he can cover as well, specifically in zone coverage. He uses his eyes well to read where the quarterback is going with the football. Cook can play split deep or near the line of scrimmage.
Cook isn’t the fastest defensive back. He may have trouble getting to the football as quickly as many defensive coordinators would like. In coverage, he can struggle with keeping up with faster players. His long speed will be put to the test in the NFL.
With his questions surrounding long speed, Cook can struggle in man coverage at times. He can lose leverage and good route runners can get separation. Cook is best used in zone coverage where he can read and react.
While he is an asset in the box, Cook can shed better. Sometimes when blockers get to him, they can latch on to him for a while. If Cook can shed and then make his way through traffic faster, he can be even more effective against the run.
Projected Draft Range: Third Round Pick-Fifth Round Pick
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