Re: Case Cookus - Draft Profile

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Not highly recruited out of California's Thousand Oaks High School, Cookus attended Ventura Junior College for a year but did not play football. NAU gave him a shot and watched him win the 2015 Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS. The third-team All-American and first-team All-Big Sky pick ranked second in the country with 37 passing touchdowns, third with a 69.0 completion percentage (223-323) and ninth with 3,117 passing yards. Cookus started four games in 2016 (80-119-67.2, 1,173 yards, 13 TDs, one INT) but missed the rest of the season with a collarbone injury. He started all 12 games the next season, throwing for 3,413 yards (275-474-58.0, 22 TDs, six INTs). Another collarbone injury cost him his fourth season with the Lumberjacks, limiting him to just two starts (23-34-70.6, 265 yards, two TDs, two INTs). One of those starts was an upset win over FBS foe UTEP. Cookus set multiple school records in 2019, also garnering the odd first-team Associated Press FCS All-American but second-team All-Big Sky honors. In 12 starts, he completed 60.3 percent of his throws (290-481) for 4,114 yards and 31 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Priority free agent
NFL Comparison
Mike White

Overview

Small-school pocket passer with a lively arm but an injury history that is hard to ignore. Cookus has had two season-ending injuries while at Northern Arizona, but when he's played, he's been impressive. He works with pocket twitch and has the ability to get the ball out quickly on RPOs or when pressured. While he appears to be decisive with the football, he's also a half-field reader who must prove he can read the full field and play chess when tasked with recognizing disguised coverages and altering his initial plans. Cookus should be a priority free agent if he isn't drafted.

Strengths

• Gunslinger-arm qualities
• Twitchy ball-handling to release operation time on RPO
• Lively arm and decisive with the football
• Not afraid to put the ball on top of receivers right out of the break
• Talent and ability to throw off platform when pressured
• Excellent job of working through immense pressure against Arizona
• Gives receivers a shot to make a play on 50-50 balls
• Shows ability to expedite release when needed

Weaknesses

• Tall but slightly built with thin lower half
• Had season-ending collarbone injuries in 2016 and 2018
• Half-field reader
• Play can become rushed and lacking rhythm at times
• Gets locked into targets and doesn't see danger lurking
• Ball placement is inconsistent
• Touch on short throws is lacking
• Not very dangerous as a runner

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RFS69