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Connor Cook Smart To Return To Michigan State Next Season

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By @Spencer_NFL

Connor Cook Michigan State

Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State QB Connor Cook has decided not to enter the 2015 NFL Draft and will instead return to school for his senior season. Although he may have been a first-round pick, the decision to stay in school was a smart one.

Cook’s physical tools are certainly worthy of a high draft pick. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds and has an NFL-caliber arm. However, if size and arm strength were the only traits that mattered, JaMarcus Russell would be a Hall of Famer. Accuracy, mechanics, awareness and leadership ability are just some of the other factors that go into a quarterback’s final draft grade. These are the traits that many prospects need to improve upon.

Accuracy is the biggest issue with Cook. He has made great strides this season and has significantly improved his draft projection, but his completion percentage has actually dropped slightly. In his collegiate career, Cook has only completed 58.3 percent of his passes. In four of his last five games this season, that number is below 56 percent. With three of his top four receivers returning next year, there’s no reason his completion percentage shouldn’t improve.

The other area in which Cook needs to improve is his pocket presence. When the pocket collapses, he panics. While more mobile quarterbacks can scramble to get out of trouble, Cook tends to make poor decisions. He throws way too many passes without setting his feet. This leads to poor ball placement. Against talented secondaries, namely Oregon and Penn State, he has paid for his mistakes.

Cook is a very talented QB and will likely be a first-round pick in 2016. His draft competition among quarterbacks next year will include Dak Prescott of Mississippi State, Christian Hackenberg of Penn State and Gunner Kiel of Cincinnati. Another year in college will be extremely beneficial for his development and will allow Cook to work on the little things that separate the good from the great.

Shawn Spencer is an NFL Draft writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Spencer_NFL, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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