5 rookies turning heads right away at NFL training camps

2. Bills RB James Cook

Staying on the Georgia Bulldog train, the Buffalo Bills selected James Cook with the 63rd overall pick in the Draft. The Bills were in a position of pain in terms of running back depth, so the Cook pick made perfect sense. Even better, he makes for a perfect fit.

Devin Singletary has done a fine job of offering some balance to the offense since joining the team in 2019, and was leaned on heavily down the stretch in the Bills playoff run last season. Zack Moss as the secondary option, on the other hand, has yet to hold his weight. Neither of the two, however, bring the same versatility to the table as James Cook.

Quarterback Josh Allen has been the clear second rushing threat in the Bills offense since 2019. With the frame he carries, and the value that lies within his arm, it seems obvious that the team would like to keep him away from as much contact as he drew last year. James Cook can shoulder the extra burden of the rushing attack, and also brings an excellent set of hands into the running back room. There’s not nearly as much video on Cook as there is George Pickens, but he has received high praise from a variety of sources, and there is evidence of his practicing involvement in more ways than just a runner.

https://twitter.com/jasrifootball/status/1555308251272691714?s=21

There also seems to be some immediate chemistry building between Josh Allen and James Cook. The Bills QB calls Cook “Jimbo,” and said, “…out of the backfield, he’s really good catching the ball.”