Brandin Cooks

Brandin Cooks
Cooks runs with the football as a member of the New Orleans Saints during an August 2015 preseason game vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
Cooks with the Saints in 2015
No. 12 – Los Angeles Rams
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1993-09-25) September 25, 1993
Stockton, California
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight: 183 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school: Lincoln (Stockton, California)
College: Oregon State
NFL Draft: 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 4, 2018
Receptions: 306
Receiving yards: 4,395
Yards per reception: 14.4
Receiving touchdowns: 28
Player stats at NFL.com

Brandin Tawan Cooks (born September 25, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State, where he received All-American recognition in 2013.

High school career

Cooks attended Lincoln High School in Stockton, California, where he played high school football for the Trojans.[1][2] As a sophomore, he recorded 29 receptions for 600 yards and seven touchdowns. As a junior, he had 46 receptions for 783 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also collecting three interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. As a senior, he had 66 receptions for 1,125 yards and 11 touchdowns. Cooks was ranked by the Rivals.com recruiting network as the 26th-best wide receiver and the 240th overall prospect in his class.[3] He originally committed to play college football at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but changed to Oregon State University.[4][5] In addition to football, Cooks played basketball and ran track in high school.

College career

Cooks played at Oregon State from 2011 to 2013 under head coach Mike Riley.[6] As a true freshman in 2011, he played in all 12 games with three starts. He finished the season with 31 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns. He was also a kick returner averaging 22.4 yards a return.[7] As a sophomore in 2012, he had 67 receptions for 1,151 yards and five touchdowns.[8] The combination of Cooks and Markus Wheaton created one of the most dynamic receiving duos in college football and Oregon State history. The two players combined for 158 receptions, 2,395 yards, and 16 touchdowns in the 2012 season.[9]

During his junior year in 2013, he had 128 receptions, 1,730 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns.[10][11] Cooks's receptions and receiving yards were Pac-12 records.[12][13][14] He was held to under 100 yards only four times and exceeded 200 yards in a game twice, against Utah and California.[15][16][17] At the end of the season, he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and was a consensus All-American.[18][19] He was the second Oregon State player to win the Biletnikoff Award, the first being Mike Hass in 2005.[20]

On January 2, 2014, Cooks announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2014 NFL Draft.[21]

In addition to football, Cooks ran track at Oregon State. He earned a second-place finish in the 60-meter dash at the 2012 UW Invitational, clocking a personal-best time of 6.81 seconds.[22]

College career statistics

YearGPReceivingRushing
RecYdsAvgLong100+200+TDAvg/GAttYdsAvgTD
201112 3139112.65900332.610414.10
201213 671,15117.27550595.919824.30
201313 1281,73013.5558216133322176.82
Total 2263,27214.5751322486.1613405.62

Collegiate awards and honors

  • Biletnikoff Award (2013)
  • Consensus All-American (2013)[23]
  • Hawaii Bowl Champion (2013)[24]
  • First-team All-Pac-12 (2013)
  • All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention (2012)
  • Pac-12 record for most receiving yards in a single season (2013)
  • 1st all-time career receiving touchdowns at Oregon State (24 touchdowns)[25]
  • 3rd all-time career receiving yards at Oregon State (3,272 yards)
  • 2013 NCAA leader in receiving yards (1,730 yards) [26]
  • 2013 Pac-12 leader in receiving touchdowns (16 touchdowns)[27]
  • 2013 Pac-12 leader in receptions (128 receptions)[27]
  • 2012 Pac-12 leader in yards per reception (17.2 yards)[27]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt 40-yard dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert jump Broad BP
5 ft 10 in
(1.78 m)		 189 lb
(86 kg)		 4.33 s 1.53 s 2.50 s 3.81 s 6.76 s 36 in
(0.91 m)		 10 ft 0 in
(3.05 m)		 16 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Cooks was selected by the New Orleans Saints as the 20th pick of the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft; the Saints traded up from the 27th spot, giving their first and third-round picks to the Arizona Cardinals in return for Arizona's first-round pick, in order to get Cooks.[28] On May 18, 2014, the Saints signed Cooks to a four-year contract worth $8.3 million.[29]

New Orleans Saints

2014 season: Rookie year

In his first career game, Cooks caught seven passes for 77 yards and a touchdown and had one rush for 18 yards in a 37–34 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.[30][31][32] This made Cooks the youngest player, at 20 years and 347 days, to catch a touchdown pass since Reidel Anthony on September 28, 1997, at 20 years and 343 days.[33] Cooks had 53 catches for 550 yards and 3 touchdowns before breaking his thumb in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, ending his season.[34]

2015 season

Cooks began the 2015 season as the number-one wide receiver for the Saints. Cooks caught for over 100 yards in a game for the first time in his career in the Week 5 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he had 5 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.[35] In Weeks 15 and 16 combined, Cooks had 15 catches for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars.[36][37] He finished the 2015 season with 84 catches for 1,138 yards and 9 touchdowns, leading the Saints in all of those categories.[38]

2016 season

Before the 2016 season, Cooks was pegged as a breakout candidate by ESPN.[39] He lived up to the pre-season hype when he caught six passes for a career-high 143 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 1 35–34 loss against the Oakland Raiders. He caught a 98-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to set the Saints' franchise record for longest play. Cooks, along with Willie Snead IV and rookie Michael Thomas, finished the day with 373 receiving yards combined, the most ever by a New Orleans trio in a loss.[40][41] Following a Week 12 win versus the Los Angeles Rams, in which he was not targeted for a single pass, Cooks voiced his frustration by saying, "Closed mouths don't get fed."[42] Cooks set a new career-high in receiving yards with 1,173, and while his targets dropped from 129 in 2015 to 117 in 2016, his 10.0 yards per target ranked sixth among NFL wide receivers.[43][44]

New England Patriots

On March 10, 2017, the New England Patriots traded their 2017 first-round and third-round draft picks to the Saints for Cooks and a 2017 fourth-round draft pick.[45][46][47][48] On April 29, 2017, the Patriots picked up the fifth-year option on Cooks' contract.[49]

On September 10, 2017, Cooks made his Patriots debut against the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Kickoff Game. He had three receptions for 88 yards in the 42–27 loss.[50] In Week 3, Cooks had five receptions for 131 yards and scored his first two touchdowns as a member of the Patriots, including a 25-yard game winner with 23 seconds to go in a 36–33 win over the Houston Texans; after the game-winning touchdown he also scored on the ensuing two-point conversion.[51] In Week 11 against the Oakland Raiders at Estadio Azteca, Cooks had six receptions for 149 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 33–8 victory.[52] Through Week 12 of the 2017 season, Cooks led all players in receptions of 40+ yards, with 6.[53] Overall, he finished the 2017 regular season with 65 receptions for 1,082 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.[54]

The Patriots won the AFC East and earned the #1-seed in the AFC. In the Divisional Round against the Tennessee Titans, Cooks had three receptions for 32 yards in the 35–14 victory.[55] In the AFC Championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had six receptions for 100 yards in the 24–20 victory.[56] During Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles, he caught one pass for 23 yards, but left the game early in the second quarter with a concussion after absorbing a hit from Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins. He was placed on concussion protocol and took no further part in the Super Bowl, as the Patriots lost to the Eagles 41–33.[57][58]

Los Angeles Rams

On April 3, 2018, the New England Patriots traded Cooks and a fourth-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams for a first round pick and a sixth-round pick.[59] This also reunited him with former Oregon State teammate Sean Mannion. On July 17, 2018, Cooks signed a five-year, $81 million extension with the Rams with $20.5 million guaranteed.[60]

During Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, Cooks finished with seven receptions for 159 receiving yards as the Rams won 34-0.[61] In Week 4, a 38–31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Cooks had seven receptions for 116 receiving yards and a touchdown.[62]

Career statistics

Regular season

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GGSRecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2014NO 1075355010.450377310.428110
2015NO 1612841,13813.571T98182.311010
2016NO 1612781,17315.098T86305.011010
2017NE 1615651,08216.664T79404.413000
Total58462803,94314.19827301615.428130

Postseason

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GGSRecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2017NE 331015515.5310111.01000
Total331015515.5310111.01000

Personal life

Cooks was 7 years old when his father died of a heart attack, and he was thereafter raised by his mother, Andrea Cooks. He is one of four brothers.[63]

Cooks followed big plays in the 2016 season with a bow-and-arrow motion. Cooks said the motion referenced a Bible verse in which a boy named Ishmael used his archery skill to survive in the desert after he nearly died there without water.[64]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Lincoln High School alum Brandin Cooks earning praise at New Orleans Saints camp". USA TODAY High School Sports. 2014-08-02. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  2. ↑ McBride, Jim. "How a few key decisions turned Brandin Cooks into a choice player". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  3. ↑ "Rivals.com". Yahoo.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  4. ↑ Biggins, Greg. "WR Cooks flips from UCLA to Oregon State". ESPN.go.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  5. ↑ Buker, Paul. "Beavers Insider: Brandin Cooks prepares to face UCLA, team he snubbed for Oregon State". OregonLive.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Oregon State Beavers Football Record By Year". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  7. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2011 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  8. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2012 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  9. ↑ "Markus Wheaton College Stats - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  10. ↑ Schnell, Lindsay. "David Shaw sums up Brandin Cooks' play in one word: 'Wow'". OregonLive.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2013 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  12. ↑ Sowa, Jesse. "Civil War football: Cooks sets Pac-12 receptions record in loss". GazetteTimes.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Oregon State wide receiver Cooks looking to break another Pac-12 record against Boise State".
  14. ↑ "Brandin Cooks putting up big stats for Oregon St".
  15. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Oregon State at Utah Box Score, September 14, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  17. ↑ "Oregon State at California Box Score, October 19, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  18. ↑ Schnell, Lindsay. "Oregon State's Brandin Cooks wins Biletnikoff Award". OregonLive.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Oregon State football: Brandin Cooks earns consensus All-America status". OregonLive.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Oregon State WR Cooks enters NFL draft". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  21. ↑ "Brandin Cooks declares for draft". ESPN.com news service. January 2, 2014.
  22. ↑ or.milesplit.com Archived November 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ "Consensus All-America Teams (2010-2017)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  24. ↑ "Hawaii Bowl - Boise State vs Oregon State Box Score, December 24, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  25. ↑ "Oregon State Beavers Receiving". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  26. ↑ "2013 Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  27. 1 2 3 "2013 Pac-12 Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  28. ↑ "New Orleans Saints select Brandin Cooks No. 20 overall in the 2014 NFL draft". Sports Illustrated. May 8, 2014. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014.
  29. ↑ Vargas, Ramon Antonio. "Saints sign No. 1 pick Brandin Cooks". The Advocate. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Brandin Cooks impresses in NFL debut". NFL.
  31. ↑ "Brandin Cooks is popular target for Drew Brees in Saints' debut". The Times-Picayune. September 7, 2014.
  32. ↑ Triplett, Mike (September 7, 2014). "Saints' Cooks lives up to hype in debut". ESPN.
  33. ↑ "Player Game Finder Query Results - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  34. ↑ Triplett, Mike (November 19, 2014). "Agent: Brandin Cooks out 4-6weeks". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  35. ↑ "New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles - October 11th, 2015". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  36. ↑ "Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints - December 21st, 2015". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  37. ↑ "Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints - December 27th, 2015". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  38. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  39. ↑ "ESPN believes Brandin Cooks will break out". Yahoo.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Saints' speedy receivers shred Raiders defenders in loss".
  41. ↑ "Saints' speedy receivers shred Raiders defenders in loss". NOLA.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  42. ↑ Conor Orr (December 2, 2016). "Brandin Cooks: 'Closed mouths don't get fed'". NFL.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Brandin Cooks Advanced Stats and Metrics Profile: Yards Per Target". PlayerProfiler.com.
  44. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  45. ↑ Bergman, Jeremy (March 10, 2017). "Saints trading Brandin Cooks to Patriots for No. 32 pick". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  46. ↑ "Patriots acquire WR Brandin Cooks in a trade with New Orleans; Acquire DL Kony Ealy in a trade with Carolina". Patriots.com. New England Patriots. March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  47. ↑ "New Orleans Saints trade for Patriots first- and third-round draft picks". NewOrleansSaints.com. New Orleans Saints. March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  48. ↑ Rapoport, Ian (September 17, 2017). "Brandin Cooks' frustrations with Saints led to trade to Patriots". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  49. ↑ Orr, Conor (April 29, 2017). "Patriots pick up Brandin Cooks' fifth-year option". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  50. ↑ "Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots - September 7th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  51. ↑ "Houston Texans at New England Patriots - September 24th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  52. ↑ Bergman, Jeremy (November 22, 2017). "Brandin Cooks wants to finish career with Patriots". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  53. ↑ "National Football League Stats - by Player Category | NFL.com". www.nfl.com. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  54. ↑ "Brandin Cooks 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  55. ↑ "Divisional Round - Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots - January 13th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  56. ↑ "AFC Championship - Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots - January 21st, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  57. ↑ Lewis, Edward (February 4, 2018). "Patriots' Brandin Cooks suffers head injury vs. Eagles". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  58. ↑ "Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots - February 4th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  59. ↑ Shook, Nick (April 3, 2018). "Rams acquire Brandin Cooks in trade with Patriots". NFL.com.
  60. ↑ Patra, Kevin (July 17, 2018). "Rams' Brandin Cooks signs five-year, $81M extension". NFL.com.
  61. ↑ "Rams 2-0 for first time since 2001 after blanking Cardinals". AP News. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  62. ↑ "Rams' WRs show off against Thielen, Diggs as best unit in the NFL". USA Today. 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  63. ↑ Mays, Robert (2014-05-07). "The Big Promise of Brandin Cooks". Grantland. Retrieved 2017-11-02.
  64. ↑ "Brandin Cooks explains the reason for his bow-and-arrow celebration". NOLA.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
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