This is some huge news for Florida State fans. James Cook (5-foot-11, 182 pounds, Miami, Fla.), who verbally committed to Florida State's 2019 class in March, will be on a college football roster one year sooner than expected. On Sunday, it was announced that Cook would be reclassifying to the 2018 recruiting class.
First reported by 247Sports, Cook's birthday September 25, and given that he is already 16 years old, he will age out and not be allowed to play his senior season under FHSAA rules. Cook is reportedly taking three online courses and will continue to do so over the summer. He is set to graduate in June 2018.
"We know Cook wouldn't be able to play his senior year and we know the type of student-athlete he is so we were like why wait?," Cook's head coach at Miami Central, Roland Smith said. "Now he can get out of here earlier and get to college sooner."
According to 247Sports, Miami is Cook's No. 2 school, and he plans to visit Miami, Clemson — his No. 3 school — Michigan, USC and Texas over the summer.
If Cook remains committed to Florida State's recruiting class, this will be huge for Florida State's running back depth — Dalvin is expected to forgo his senior season in 2017 and declare for the NFL Draft after this season.