Getty Georgia running back James Cook speaking with the media at the 2022 NFL Combine.
The New York Jets were able to strike gold in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft last year.
Unexpectedly Michael Carter was sitting there at the No. 107 overall pick and he was the team’s selection. He proved to be an absolute steal as he led Gang Green in rushing.
Now the green and white are searching for the yin to his yang in the 2022 NFL draft and they may have found it.
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Some Really Good Genes
One of the most popular running backs in the pre-draft cycle has been James Cook out of Georgia.
According to Tony Pauline of the Pro Football Network his official visit list features “almost half the teams in the league on his travel schedule” ahead of the draft.
While the Jets won’t be using a “top-30 visit” on the talented playmaker, Pauline says “they have shown a ton of interest” in Cook.
James is the younger brother of two-time All-Pro running back, Dalvin Cook who stars for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.
In a talented Georgia backfield, the younger Cook brother had to wait his turn but eventually, his patience paid off in a huge way.
This past season ended up being a career year for James in every major statistical category:
- 113 attempts
- 728 rushing yards
- 11 total touchdowns
The Secret Ingredient
When talking about helping Zach Wilson take the next step, most people have talked about adding a No. 1 wide receiver or better protection up front, but the real secret sauce is the running game.
The Jets need a complement to Carter and most people have assumed that player will be more so a power-style runner. Although Cook brings a change of pace style to the field at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds.
That style would be a beautiful fit in this wide zone scheme that Mike LaFleur runs with the green and white.
Cook brings a nice speed element (4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL combine) to the table. The other thing to really like is his prowess in the receiving game.
If Wilson can lean on a consistent running game, then defenses will have to commit more players inside the box. When that happens all of the Jets’ wide receivers will face favorable one-on-one matchups on the outside that they can take advantage of.
The last time the green and white committed to a ground-and-pound philosophy they went to back-to-back conference title games.
A balanced approach is a necessary ingredient to any successful offense. That is especially true when you’re operating with a young and relatively inexperienced quarterback.
At heart, the Jets want to be a team that can run when they choose to. For obvious reasons they weren’t able to consistently execute that game plan last year, but with a renewed commitment and some new star power, the sky is the limit for this ground game.
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Jets Have Shown ‘a Ton of Interest’ in 2-Time All Pro’s Brother