In my last report, I discussed Luther Burden and his elite receiving skills at the University of Missouri. Today’s report will discuss his quarterback throwing him the passes he’s hauling in, Brady Cook.
A native of St. Louis, Brady originally signed with the Missouri Tigers as a three star recruit. As a senior in high school, Brady was a dual threat, throwing for 3,194 yards and 33 touchdowns, while adding another 375 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground as well.
His first two seasons, he saw sporadic action, finally getting his chance to shine in 2022. That year, he was named Team Captain and started all 13 games that season for Missouri.
He threw for 2,739 yards and 14 touchdowns, while adding another 585 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground, building a solid foundation for 2023. In 2023, he threw for 3,310 yards and 21 touchdowns, also adding 319 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground as well.
He was also named the SEC Football Scholar-Athlete of the year and a Davey O’Brien award semi-finalist for his play in 2023, including a highlight where he went 365 straight passes without throwing an interception, breaking the SEC record for doing so.
Brady is a true dual threat at the position, and is a very intelligent player, evidenced by his football IQ, as well as his decision making skills with the football in his hands. But does the rest of his tape match up? Let’s find out.
Player Info
Name: Brady Cook
Jersey: No. 12
Position: Quarterback
School: University of Missouri
Class: Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215 lbs.
Brady Cook’s Strengths
Brady has excellent accuracy in the short and intermediate throws, as his placement allows him to his receivers in stride, increasing their yard after catch opportunities. He also exhibits poise while in the pocket, being able to maneuver throughout the pocket with ease, while he locates an open receiver.
He also boasts a very nice set of wheels for a quarterback. In this analyst’s opinion, based on the tape, he’d likely run around 4.6 in the 40 yard dash at the combine, putting him in the top 10% of quarterbacks for his speed.
He also shows sound mechanics, as you see the upper and lower body are in alignment when throwing the ball, as well as proper weight transfers with his footwork in and out of the pocket.
Brady Cook’s Weaknesses
Brady possesses a less than average arm strength, which limits his ability to drive the ball deep down the field, and on out routes for his receivers. Because of this arm strength, he often has to load up and pre-determine where he wants to throw the deep ball, leading to some double coverage and ill timed throws.
Brady also is late in diagnosing post-snap reads, including defensive rotations in coverage. This often leads to him throwing into crowded windows, or in some cases, missing wide open receivers.
While he has speed, he lacks the elite level physical traits to consistently be able to create plays off script, which limits his playmaking ability at the next level.
Draft Projection
I currently have a day 3 grade on Brady, as his short and intermediate accuracy, his speed and his leadership qualities will make him a great QB2 at the next level. However, with the limits physically and his arm strength being less than desirable, that is his ceiling unfortunately. He looks to be a career backup, with an occasional spot start at QB in terms of injury.
Some teams that could find themselves in need of a guy like Brady:
- Arizona Cardinals (With Clayton Tune as the only backup in the desert, Brady could have a chance to make the Cardinals roster, as his speed would be an asset for this team, as well as his short yardage accuracy would allow guys like MHJ to make magic happen, should Brady be forced into a starting role.)
- Denver Broncos (With Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham both in the final year of their respective deals, Brady would be an excellent day 3 selection for Denver to replace either one of these QBs as the backup to Bo Nix.)
- Washington Commanders (With Mariota and Driskell in the final year of their deals, the Commanders could save a little cap space and select Brady on Day 3, and slide him in right behind Jayden Daniels as insurance, should Daniels miss time.)
Not every quarterback drafted will be an elite talent or play in multiple playoff games. Sometimes, you need the career clipboard holders or spot starter journeymen on your roster to help you save the cap space, and this is where a player like Brady will thrive.
Any team selecting Brady will do so with the understanding that his strength is in the short and intermediate game, along with designed Qb running plays, as to best manage the game until the starting Qb is able to return.
My comparison for Brady Cook: AJ McCarron, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
