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The Alabama secondary is facing what could be the best pro-style quarterback it has seen all year in Michigan State’s Connor Cook.
The 6-foot-4 senior has thrown 71 touchdowns against 20 interceptions in his career and as the starter will lead the Spartans to three consecutive top 10 finishes.
He’s twice beaten Ohio State in big games, not to mention Stanford in the Rose Bowl, Baylor in the Cotton Bowl and Iowa in the recent Big Ten championship. Alabama should not scare him.
Alabama safeties Geno Matias-Smith and Eddie Jackson compared Cook to Peyton Manning, according to 247Sports.
“He’s an accurate guy, has a strong arm. When he breaks the pocket, his receivers know what to do. Some go downfield, some break back, and he makes accurate throws,” Jackson told the website.
“On film, the type of throws you see him make, you go like, ‘Woah!’ And then you see him make another, and you’re like, ‘Dang! This guy’s the real deal.’”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently projects Cook as the fourth-best quarterback in the 2016 NFL draft class. Off and on, various analysts have projected him as a potential first-round pick.
Cook has thrown 5 interceptions on 369 passes this year, so don’t expect him to make many mistakes against Alabama.
Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart relayed some effusive praise for the Michigan State signal-caller, including another big-time comparison.
“This guy’s got the arm strength, he’s accurate, he anticipates real well,” Smart said, according to Fox Sports. “It reminds me when I’m watching it of when Matt Ryan was at Boston College. He’s a prototypical step-up-in-the-pocket, avoid the rush, make all the throws — and they run deigned runs for this guy.
“I think he’s going to be an unbelievable pro.”
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
