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Michigan State Football: Predicting where prospects go in NFL Draft

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) warms up before the Big Ten Conference football championship game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) warms up before the Big Ten Conference football championship game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Projected Round: Late-1st

I’m going to be a little optimistic about Connor Cook. The senior quarterback has been projected as an early-to-mid second round pick by many, but I believe he will be taken even before that as a potential first day selection.

I get it, though, anonymous NFL Draft scouts are claiming Cook doesn’t have the ‘it’ factor to make a successful pro quarterback. Those sources are saying that his personality is just missing something, which is funny because he’s the winningest quarterback in Michigan State history. He’s beaten elite programs such as Stanford, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Baylor and TCU during his time in East Lansing.

Not only has he been a proven winner throughout his career — winning on big stages such as the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl and at the Big House — Cook has earned the respect of his teammates. Guys like Darien Harris and Jack Conklin have come to his aid, backing him despite the negative press.

Many are worried about his accuracy, but if you watch his film, he tries to make the difficult pass more than make the safe one. That can be an issue, but the difficult pass is usually something that NFL quarterbacks have a hard time completing as well.

In fact, Cook has the lowest percentage of passes under 10 yards than any of the top quarterbacks in the draft.

Denver might be his new home after day one of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Next: 3. Shilique Calhoun

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