Oakland surrendered picks No. 114 and 154 to leapfrog the Cowboys and Chiefs and get to the second pick of the fourth round in order to select Cook.
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The Raiders have now selected three quarterbacks in the last four drafts.
Every year a player falls unexpectedly in the draft, and this year’s poster boy, aside from Laremy Tunsil’s gas mask bong and Confederate flag imbroglio, on that front was Connor Cook. Cook will compete to be the backup to Derek Carr in Oakland with Matt McGloin.
Considering that the Browns are now run by a general manager who values quantity of picks over the value of a high counterpart, it isn’t shocking that the team was entertaining offers for their high pick in the fourth round. Cook’s overall accuracy percentage is among the lowest among the draft’s prospects, per PFF.
National Football League teams never have enough pass rushers, and several could still go.
Cook won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award last season and was also named the 2015 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year.
“Work hard, learn your craft, be a professional, use it as an opportunity to grow and move forward”, the Spartans’ head coach said.
“It was pretty surprising because I think Dallas was interested in me and they were trying to trade up, and I think they couldn’t do it”, Cook said. He was selected behind less-heralded quarterbacks such as USC’s Cody Kessler and North Carolina State’s Jacoby Brissett.
Cook also offers three years of experience as a starter in a pro-style offense. Cook threw for 71 touchdown passes and 9,194 yards in his career while becoming the winningest quarterback in Michigan State history, but completed just 57.5 percent of his passes. “Obviously, seeing all the other quarterbacks go, it hurt, but I’m just ready to be a Raider and ready to get to business”.
“I’m glad I found a home”, Cook said.
I’m sure Derek Carr was initially a little nervous when Cook was picked, but he has to know the starting job is his to lose.
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“You just can’t go through the whole season with just one running back with all the production”, he said.
