In his most recent mock draft, USA Today's Luke Easterling has the Redskins once again looking offense in the first round of the NFL Draft with Florida State running back Dalvin Cook.
While Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said at his 2016 season-ending press conference last month that undrafted Robert Kelley – who went from an unknown commodity to starting running back in just two months – is in the driver's seat to be the team's starting running back in 2016, a potential game-changing running back could be available in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Take a look at photos of Florida State running back, Dalvin Cook.
In his latest mock draft, USA Today's Luke Easterling has the Redskins taking Florida State running back Dalvin Cook with the 17th-overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.
"Washington has a handful of backs who can get the job done, but none of them have Cook's elite level of talent and versatility," Easterling writes.
In three seasons at Florida State, the Miami native carried the ball 687 times for 4,446 yards and 46 touchdowns.
He also recorded 79 receptions for 935 yards and two touchdowns.
During his junior season in 2016, Cook rushed for a career-high 1,765 yards and 22 touchdowns en route to first-team All-ACC and first-team All-American honors.
Despite getting off to a slow start through the first three games of the year by his standards (228 yards and two touchdowns), Cook began a string of five-straight 100-plus-yard games in a 55-35 victory over South Florida, as he rushed for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
In fact, Cook had nine 100-plus-yard games in nine of the Seminoles' final 10 games of the year.
Cook capped off his college career by winning Orange Bowl MVP honors in a 33-32 victory over Michigan, as he rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown along with recording three receptions for 62 yards.
During his sophomore season in 2015, Cook led the ACC in six offensive categories – including rushing yards per game and scoring – and was named the Jim Brown Award winner, given annually to the nation's top running back as selected by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.
Cook scored at least one rushing touchdown in 11 of Florida State's 12 games that year.
As a freshman, Cook was named All-ACC second-team by the media, as he finished the year with a Florida State freshman record 1,008 rushing yards along with eight touchdowns.
In his first career start that year against Syracuse, Cook rushed for 122 yards – the first of five 100-yard games.
According to his NFL.com draft profile, Cook uses his "choppy feet and compact stride length" to get downhill quickly.
"Keeps feet under him and is able to make lateral cuts at a moment's notice. Flourished in zone, gap and power schemes at FSU. At his best running wide while setting up lead blockers. Slows flowing safeties and linebackers with hesitation steps and glances back inside. Has run-away gear around the corner he keeps tucked away for special occasions. Darting style allows him to escape defenders who show gap commitment too soon. Plus vision. Quick to flow from first to second read on outside zone plays. Greedy redzone runner with ability to cash those checks. The brighter the lights, the bigger his game. Comfortable in both one-back and two-back groupings. Rare ability to cut it all the way back across the grain. Changes direction with degree of subtlety on second level without gearing down. Not much of a dancer. Tends to get hit it up the field. Feet in constant state of motion. Despite drops, can be dangerous out of backfield," his profile states.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein's comparison for Cook is four-time Pro Bowler Edgerrin James.
"Very talented runner with outstanding balance, footwork and burst," Zierlein writes. "Cook lacks the power that you may find with some running backs in this year's draft, but he is a homerun hitter with a resume featuring monster games against his most highly regarded opponents. Cook creates for himself with elusiveness and speed, but his value could be diminished by injuries, character and issues in pass protection. If everything checks out, he could become a rookie of the year candidate right away."
