FSU RB Dalvin Cook’s Stock Slipping?

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook is continuing to tumble down draft boards due to off-field concerns, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). NFL clubs are reportedly worried about the group of advisers surrounding Cook, and aren’t confident he’ll be able to remove himself from questionable personal ties that litter his past.

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This isn’t the first time Cook’s character concerns have come to the surface, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com recently reported that teams are being scared off by Cook’s off-field issues. But clubs are also apprehensive of Cook’s “inconsistent” workout performances, per Cole. As I noted in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, Cook tested in the seventh percentile in SPARQ score, a metric that analyzes athleticism. Given that NFL teams are already wary of selecting running backs early in the draft, Cook’s disappointing athletic testing could force him down the board even further.

One club that is keeping tabs on Cook is the Buccaneers, who have now met with him multiple times and sent national scout Byron Kiefer and director of player personnel John Spytek to Cook’s Pro Day in March, reports Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Tampa Bay’s backfield is in flux given the murky status of Doug Martin, who is suspended for the first three games of 2017. But Martin is attending Buccaneers workouts and is reportedly “all good” following a rehab stint, which may lessen the need for Tampa to spend a draft pick on a runner.

Other teams that have met with Cook during the predraft process include the Eagles, Browns, Jaguars, 49ers, Bengals, and Redskins.