March 28, 2024

Florida State RB Dalvin Cook entices Vikes to ‘take a swing’

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — After sitting out of the first round, the Minnesota Vikings didn’t want to wait any longer.

Dalvin Cook was still available, the kind of dynamic running back Minnesota drafted 10 years ago and just recently let go.

The Vikings traded up seven spots to the 41st overall pick Friday night and snagged Cook, the Florida State star whose stellar college career came with off-the-field questions.

They sent one of their fourth-round selections to Cincinnati to move ahead in the second round and get Cook, Adrian Peterson’s long-term replacement.

“He was just too talented of a player not to take a swing,” general manager Rick Spielman said, before making another trade in the third round to slide up nine spots and select Ohio State center Pat Elflein at No. 70 overall.

The Vikings made two more deals, with Kansas City and San Francisco, to net extra picks for the final four rounds Saturday while giving up their second third-round selection.

“We were constantly on the phone,” said Spielman, estimating he had between 20 and 30 conversations with other teams.

The 5-foot-11, 213-pound Cook was an All-American last season as a junior and totaled 38 touchdowns over the last two years for the Seminoles.

Cook averaged more than 138 yards rushing per game over his final two seasons.

“You’ve got to accept things as a man, and I just was waiting my turn,” Cook said.

Though the Vikings signed Latavius Murray last month, he’s coming off ankle surgery. Jerick McKinnon returns for his fourth year in the NFL, too, but only Cook has the skill set to be what Peterson, who signed with New Orleans this week, was in his prime.

Cook’s ability was right there with them, but he came with some red flags , despite being found not guilty of misdemeanor battery just before the 2015 season following a bar fight.

After exhaustive vetting, Spielman phoned Cook for another 45 minutes Friday morning once the possibility of picking him became clearer.

Spielman said he believes Cook has “woken up a little bit” about his career and life.

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher eagerly vouched for Cook, too.

“He was never disrespectful, allowed you to coach him hard, was never late, was always really good with other teammates, affected guys on our team in a positive way,” Fisher said.

The Vikings sent their fifth-round selection to the New York Jets to move up for Elflein, who was the first offensive lineman drafted by the Vikings in the first three rounds since 2012.
If he's ready to start as a rookie, veteran Joe Berger could move back to right guard.

Or the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Elflein, who only switched to center as a senior and won the Rimington Award for the best player in the country at the position, could play there and Berger could stay at center.