Carolina Panthers

2017 NFL Draft: 5 Best Landing Spots for Dalvin Cook

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:36 a.m. ET

Fansided, Daniel Thomas/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

Dalvin Cook could be a star from the 2017 NFL Draft, but where are the best possible spots that he could land?

The 2017 NFL Draft is three months away, but it’s clear Dalvin Cook is one of the most talented players in the draft. It could be argued that, due to his style of play, he’s even a better fit for today’s NFL than LSU’s Leonard Fournette. Either way, he should hear his name called somewhere in the first round of the draft.

Predicting where exactly Cook will be drafted in January is a tough assignment. Over the next three months, countless players will see their stocks rise and fall for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest concerns about Cook that could ultimately affect his stock is his off-the-field issues.

Back in 2015, Cook was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly hitting a female in a bar. He was later found not guilty of those chargers. However, that was not Cook’s first run in with the law. Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel reported Cook was arrested the year prior for criminal mischief while in Tallahassee. He was also arrested twice before college for robbery, possessing a weapon and firing a weapon.

Despite his eye-popping talent, teams might elect to pass on Cook if they don’t feel comfortable with his off-the-field issues. Then again, teams might feel comfortable with his maturity level and growth since those incidents after he interviews with them. That will all depend on his interviews and so on. But for now, let’s just talk about where he’d fit on the field.

Here at the five best (and realistic) landing spots for Dalvin Cook.

Aug 12, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

5. Cleveland Browns

Pick(s): 1st and 12th Overall

Cleveland Browns starting running back, Isaiah Crowell, finished with career-highs in almost every statistical category last year and his 952 rushing yards ranked 15th in the NFL. That’s not too bad considering he was a two-down running back and his backup, Duke Johnson, chipped in nearly 900 yards from scrimmage.

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If the Browns decided to use the second of their first-round picks on Cook (12th overall), there’s no doubt he would see a majority of the touches. Cook isn’t a polished receiver, but he’s more than capable of catching the ball out of the backfield. Due to this, he would be a three-down running back and could possibly handle 250-275 total touches even as a rookie.

Hopefully by adding more talent on both sides of the ball in Hue Jackson’s second year and staying competitive in games, the team can run the ball more. In 2016 the Browns tied with the Detroit Lions for last in the NFL in rushing attempts. That’s a little shocking because Jackson has a history of running the ball.

When Jackson was the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals for two years before leaving for Cleveland, the team ranked fifth in 2014 and seventh in the 2015 in rushing attempts per game. If Jackson wants to get back to running the ball and also wants to protect whatever quarterback lines up behind center in 2017, drafting Cook is a great start.

Crowell is a restricted free agent in 2017, but there’s a good chance he returns to the Browns even if it’s only on a one-year deal. If he doesn’t though, there’s little reason to believe Cook couldn’t flirt with 300 total touches.

4. Washington Redskins

Pick: 17th Overall

Matt Jones started off last season as the Redskins starting running back, but that didn’t last long. Due to his ongoing fumbling issues, the second-year man was eventually benched and wasn’t even active for the last eight games of 2016. As a result, the team turned to undrafted free agent rookie Rob Kelley.

Kelley turned in a decent year as he finished with 704 yards and six rushing touchdowns. With that said, there’s nothing special about Kelley. He’s a slow, two-down plodder who offers nothing in the passing game. Over the final six games he never had more than 76 rushing yards in any game, averaged 3.3 yards per carry and only had 10 receptions during that span.

With wide receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson both set for free agency this offseason, theres a chance the Redskins third-ranked offense will be forced to adapt in 2017. If the Redskins top-two leading receivers don’t return it probably wouldn’t be in their best interest to throw the ball 38 times a game like they did in 2016.

By drafting Cook the Redskins could establish a solid running game and finally have a starting running back that offered something in the passing game. Obviously that is something Rob Kelley can’t offer just like former Redskin Alfred Morris wasn’t capable of either. Heck, that’s something they haven’t had since the heydays of Clinton Portis back in 2007.

Like Jones, Cook also had a little trouble of holding onto the football while at FSU. In 2016 he fumbled the ball six times. This might be enough to scare off head coach Jay Gruden after dealing with Jones last season. Then again, if that type of talent fell to him with the 17th pick, he might take the chance.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Pick: 14th or 15th Overall (Coin Flip at NFL Combine)

Frank Gore did something no running back on the Indianapolis Colts has done since 2007 this past season: rush for 1,000 yards. To be exact, he rushed for 1,025 yards which was good enough for 12th in the NFL. If we are being honest, it was a very uneventful 1,000-yard season.

Gore only averaged 3.9 yards per carry, only had one rush of over 20 yards and zero rushes of 40+ yards. To give you an idea, every other player in the NFL who had at least 950 rushing yards had at least four runs of 20+ yards and one of 40+ yards. Now, this isn’t a direct knock of Gore. First, the Indianapolis Colts offensive line isn’t exactly stellar and solid running lanes were hard to come by. Second, Gore is about to turn 34-years old and is nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career.

As it stands right now, Gore only has one year remaining on his contract. There are three options that could play out this offseason:

The first two options would be great for Cook if the Colts drafted him. He would be the clearcut workhorse from day one and would add an new dynamic to an already explosive offense. If Gore is on the Colts roster in 2017, it still would be a good situation for Cook. As a rookie, he would be able to learn from Gore about what it is to be a pro on and off the field. Then in year two, Cook would undoubtedly become “the guy” in the Colts backfield and could see an increase of about 75-100 touches from Year 1 to Year 2.

If Cook could operate in an offense that already has Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton it would be a terrific situation for him. The real question is do the Colts have the luxury of drafting Cook in the first round?

Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) talks with head coach Doug Pederson during the second quarter against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: 14th or 15th overall (Coin Flip at NFL Combine)

Despite finishing 7-9 in 2016, the Eagles had a good season considering their situation. They had both a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback. That rookie quarterback, Carson Wentz, looks the part of a franchise quarterback. As we know, having a franchise quarterback is the most important piece to any franchise. Without one, a team will wallow in mediocrity until they find one.

Going into 2017, though, the Eagles need to find some weapons for their Wentz. They certainly cannot go into next season with the same players surrounding him. If the Eagles are able to attract a respectable wide receiver on the outside through free agency (Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Kenny Stills), they could elect to draft Cook if he’s still on the board with their pick.

Last year Ryan Mathews led the Eagles in rushing with an uninspiring 661 yards. As always, the walking Band-Aid that is Ryan Mathews was dealing with a series of injuries during the season. It wouldn’t be a shock if the Eagles decided to release Mathews in the final year of his deal. He wasn’t a free agent addition under Pederson’s watch and releasing Mathews would clear up $5 million in cap space while only leaving $1 million in dead money.

If that was the case, Cook would step into a solid situation. He would be the starting running back in an up-and-coming offense and would see plenty of work in the passing game. Last year the Eagles running backs combined for 80 receptions. That shouldn’t come as a surprise because under Eagles current offensive coordinator Frank Reich, San Diego Chargers running backs Danny Woodhead and Melvin Gordon combined for 113 receptions in 2015.

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera walks on the field as quarterback Cam Newton (1) walks by prior to the game against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 at Levi

1. Carolina Panthers

Pick: 8th overall

Most of the time when people discuss the Carolina Panthers rushing game, a lot of the attention is focused on quarterback Cam Newton. That’s not just because he’s one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the NFL, but because running back Jonathan Stewart‘s productivity hasn’t been anything special.

Since Newton entered the league in 2011, he has rushed for 3,566 yards. In that time Jonathan Stewart has only rushed for 3,899 yards. Stewart has only out-gained Newton by 333 yards over six years, but has also had 229 extra carries. Over the last five seasons Stewart has missed 26 games and hasn’t played in a full 16-game season since 2011. For these reasons, the Panthers could decide to move on from the soon-to-be 30-year-old running back. If they do, Dalvin Cook could flourish in the Panthers offense.

The threat of a running quarterback can often lead to huge lanes for running backs because defenders have their eyes on the quarterback and/or are left flatfooted due to the uncertainty of who is going to run with the ball. Not only is Dalvin Cook a threat in his own right but couple that with the zone read with Newton and Cook could easily reach 1,000 yards rushing in his first season. That’s an accomplishment Stewart has only reached one time in his nine-year career.

As mentioned before, Cook’s impact on the passing game could immediately benefit the Panthers offense. Over the last five years Stewart has never had more than 25 receptions in a season and has only averaged 1.4 receptions per game in that span. This past season, backup running back Fozzy Whittaker finished with more receptions than Stewart and, in each of the last two seasons, fullback Mike Tolbert has had more receptions than Stewart.