Former Florida State running back Dalvin Cook was one of the top backs in the country during his tenure with the Seminoles, and his name has been mentioned along with Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey as one of the top backs in the upcoming draft class.
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Cook's stock has been plummeting as of late thanks to "character and attitude" questions, and it could be falling even further ahead of the NFL Draft, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report:
"Don't be surprised if Samuel goes ahead of Dalvin Cook," is what one scout texted me this week. Samuel, who played running back and wide receiver at Ohio State (the same role Braxton Miller played), has elite skills as a speed player. He can affect the game as a runner, receiver and return man. That value—and teams seeing what someone like Tyreek Hill can do to an offense—has pushed up his stock.
Samuel is a consensus second-round prospect, and it's a stunner for Cook, who was thought to be in the conversation to be a top-10 pick early on.
Here's more from CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora:
The signals I am picking up about scouts on Florida State running back Dalvin Cook are less than stellar, with his character and attitude raising some major red flags. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Stanford's Christian McCaffrey is the second back selected and ends up going in the top third of the first round. And Oklahoma's Joe Mixon, despite striking a female as an underclassman, is one of the most physically talented players in the draft and I'd be stunned at this point if he wasn't selected on the second day of the draft.
Cook has never been found guilty of a crime, but he has had a few run-ins with the law. He was charged with misdemeanor battery in 2015 but was later acquitted. He was also charged with robbery in 2009 and charged with firing a weapon on school property in 2010, but charges were dropped in both cases.
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Cook finished his three-year collegiate career as the all-time rushing leader in Florida State history ahead of three-time Pro Bowler and former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Warrick Dunn. The total was 4,464 rushing yards with 46 touchdowns on the ground as well as 935 yards receiving to go with two reception touchdowns.
