Mock (3/5)

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by scott free

Do any of these scouting reports on Steve Smith ring a bell? particularly the "weakness" and even more particularly the parts about not being able to go get jump balls/be able to compete against bigger bodies?

http://www.ninersnation.com/2007/4/13/152132/639

"small, fragile and a hot head"... http://sports.yahoo.com/news/carolin...0836--nfl.html

Stop trying to limit his ceiling to the slot dammit... if you're tough and can GET OPEN consistently, you have #1 written all over you, mother**** I hate it when people want to measure you by your size and forget to measure your heart.

For those WITH heart, it usually works out badlly for those who forgot to measure it.

On the contrary, keeping Cooks in the slot will maximize his effectiveness. Steve Smith was special for his size because he is a physical player who played with an aggressive nature that is probably only matched by RBs like AP and Lynch. Cooks does not have that playing style, he doesn't relish contact nor does he have near the same aggression as Smith did. That is really what allowed Steve Smith to remain successful on the outside, he played angry and was more physical than a lot of the corners that he faced. Cooks is far better in the slot where he can have more space to work with.

It's where a smart coach would use him. His speed and quickness may be similar, but the mentality is nowhere near the same in their playing styles and thus Cooks will struggle if he has to face the more dominant and physical outside corners in the league.