James Cook, brother of NFL running back Dalvin Cook, was born and raised in Miami Florida. He attended the prestigious Miami Northwestern, as well as Miami Central High School, where he was a 4-star recruit. Cook was rated the #3 all-purpose in the nation back by 247Sports, earning him top honors among all other Florida running backs.
Among all other high school prospects, Cook came in at #96, making him one of the top RBs in the nation. He received offers from 16 Division-1 schools, including Florida State, Alabama, USC, Miami, Florida, Ohio State, and many others. Cook was committed early to Florida State, where his brother was a star RB, but later flipped his commitment.
James Cook chose to attend college at Georgia, where he immediately became a contributor. During his freshman season, Cook had 41 carries for 284 yards and two TDs. He averaged 6.9 YPC and also pitched in 8 catches for 89 yards.
Through his first three years on campus, Cook served mostly in a complementary role having limited touches (less than 50 carries and 20 receptions) during each of those seasons. Despite the limited work he received, Cook was able to produce well when given the opportunity, averaging no less than 6.1 YPC in any of those three seasons.
Cook returned for his senior season, where he earned himself a much larger workload. In 2021, Cook rushed for 728 yards on 113 carries (6.4 YPC) and 7 TDs, while also hauling in 27 catches for 284 yards and 4 TDs. The increase in opportunity helped Cook burst onto the scene in the 2022 NFL Draft class and was the start of his ascent in the rookie running back rankings.
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