Jack Aylmer: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Odell Beckham Jr. can no longer be the lone elite weapon on the New York Giants offense. This much was abundantly clear during the team’s 38-13 wild card playoff exit at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. When Beckham struggled, so did the rest of the offense.
Enter the freakishly athletic Dalvin Cook. Leaving college as the Florida State Seminoles all-time leader in rushing yards (4,64) and rushing touchdowns (46), Cook recorded 1,000 plus yard seasons on the ground in each of his three collegiate seasons.
The 5-foot-11 213-pound Cook is a true home run threat whenever he gets his hands on the football. During his 2016 campaign, the former ACC Championship Game MVP racked up a career-high 1,765 rushing yards on 6.1 yards per carry average with 19 touchdowns. He also added 33 receptions for 488 yards and a score to his season stat line.
Adding Cook to the Giants would immediately bolster a rushing attack that finished 29th in the league in yards per game. With New York also getting the return of Shane Vereen and the continued development of Paul Perkins next season, the team suddenly has the lethal backfield stable they’ve lacked since the days of “Earth, Wind, and Fire” days of Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Derrick Ward.
Cook could be the Giants’ running back of the future, and his presence in the ground game will open up a lot of opportunities for quarterback Eli Manning in the passing attack. Cook’s electrifying play style is exactly what this team needs to vault itself back into the conversation of the NFL’s elite offenses.
