Brandin Cooks film study (merged)

Highlights:

- superb straightahead speed obviously

- excellent route running

- difficulty in press coverage. May use in stacked formations

- difficulty fighting for the ball

Comment: Most Patriots receivers block as well. The clip did not address whether Cooks can block and, if not, how that changes other plays.

Thank you, this was an excellent break down. Someone should send it to Josh. .

It will be interesting to see how the Pats utilize him. Will they they will let him have to win press coverage match ups or will they constantly use bunch formations or motion him to free him up when he's on the field. Of course they will do both, but what will be telling is what the percentage of each is.

Belichick and Brady will know exactly how to utilize Cooks skillset.. he's also just 1 piece of a much larger puzzle here in New England, on the Saints he was one of the only options before Thomas came along so I think they'll know precisely how to use him in this offense to be effective

The stat about his ability to break tackles is a bit concerning, considering how much this offense relies on a YAC philosophy.. seems like we paid a lot for him with a 1st and 3rd, that seems like something you'd give up for an AJ Green type receiver.. but Brady has made diamonds out of much lesser receivers than Cooks and I have no doubt he'll get great production out of him

Cooks completely relies on quickness and speed... so if he gets any sort of lower body injury, he will become pedestrian really fast

JarOfMayo51 said:

Belichick and Brady will know exactly how to utilize Cooks skillset.. he's also just 1 piece of a much larger puzzle here in New England, on the Saints he was one of the only options before Thomas came along so I think they'll know precisely how to use him in this offense to be effective

The stat about his ability to break tackles is a bit concerning, considering how much this offense relies on a YAC philosophy.. seems like we paid a lot for him with a 1st and 3rd, that seems like something you've give up for an AJ Green type receiver.. but Brady has made diamonds out of much lesser receivers than Cooks and I have no doubt he'll get some great production out of him

Cooks completely relies on quickness and speed... so if he gets any sort of lower body injury, he will become pedestrian really fast

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I didn't realize they gave up a third, as well. For some reason I thought it was a straight up first rounder.

Right or wrong, I keep envisioning him in some type of Mike Wallace (in his prime) role, so I have a feeling it will be more creativity in moving him around and getting him open vs. many other people's ideas of straight, downfield speed. I do think we'll see those shots here and there, but I don't know if it will be as often as many think.

Wow that's great analysis - thanks for posting.

supafly said:

I didn't realize they gave up a third, as well. For some reason I thought it was a straight up first rounder.

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It was a swap: our 3rd for their 4th. (15-spot difference in total.)

supafly said:

I didn't realize they gave up a third, as well. For some reason I thought it was a straight up first rounder.

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we traded down from the 3rd to Saints 4th rounder which was confiscated by the NYJFL* for framegate and so it ended up being an even lower 4th rounder.

K. Dog said:

Highlights:

- superb straightahead speed obviously

- excellent route running

- difficulty in press coverage. May use in stacked formations

- difficulty fighting for the ball

Comment: Most Patriots receivers block as well. The clip did not address whether Cooks can block and, if not, how that changes other plays.

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Thanks K. Dog. Love this stuff.

I guess I was wrong about Cooks's 50/50 catching ability. I'll have to look again. I did see video of him making contested and tough catches but I guess it's not the norm.

Either way his presence on the field definitely shifts the defensive coverages which means Edelman, Mitchell or Hogan will benefit.

Bottom line, this guy has scary talent. If they can find a way to get him 60+ catches, he's gonna do some serious damage. Elite speed, elite quickness, excellent route runner and great hands and jumping ability. If he can learn the playbook as fast as Hogan and Mitchell did, it's gonna be insane. And oh yeah, he's just 23 years old, and has gotten better every year.

patfanken said:

Thank you, this was an excellent break down. Someone should send it to Josh. .

It will be interesting to see how the Pats utilize him. Will they they will let him have to win press coverage match ups or will they constantly use bunch formations or motion him to free him up when he's on the field. Of course they will do both, but what will be telling is what the percentage of each is.

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I think it's going to be more of the latter. Get him going in motion so he can avoid the press and also get up to top speed more quickly. I also see them using him a lot on shorter routes. We all know he'll run the 9 route and be successful in it. But I see a lot of 0, 2, 4, and 6 routes in his future with this team to get the ball in his hands fast and let him do his thing. What's interesting to me is whether or not the Pats will motion him out of the backfield. That would seem to be a big match-up advantage from time to time against some of the defenses they'll be playing.

KontradictioN said:

I think it's going to be more of the latter. Get him going in motion so he can avoid the press and also get up to top speed more quickly. I also see them using him a lot on shorter routes. We all know he'll run the 9 route and be successful in it. But I see a lot of 0, 2, 4, and 6 routes in his future with this team to get the ball in his hands fast and let him do his thing. What's interesting to me is whether or not the Pats will motion him out of the backfield. That would seem to be a big match-up advantage from time to time against some of the defenses they'll be playing.

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The point I failed to make is I don;'t think Cooks is ever going to be the so called "elite" WR that everyone seems to think. I was disturbing that the clip noted Cooks being shut down vs press coverage from long/strong CB's. because he doesn't have the size or strength to beat it.

Now this doesn't make the Cooks deal a bad one. BB saw the need for speed in his WR group and went out and got it. I think Cooks is a very good WR who's speed will open up the field and make it easier to open the field to the rest of the receivers. But he ISN'T Julio Jones or even Antonio Brown....yet. What he will do is add a much needed skill set that the Pats didn't have. And if he is willing to be another selfless cog in an overall offense, then I can predict he will be very effective.

However if he demands to "be the man" and get all the targets and a contract that that designation implies, then I believe his time in NE will a short one. If he is going to be here more than 1 or 2 years then he HAS to buy into the Patriot Way bigtime.

Now that being said, either way Cooks will likely be a very effective and productive receiver in the Pats run to another superbowl THIS YEAR. However how long he will be here is still in doubt (IMHO), and how long he stays is key to the ranking how successful this trade ends up.

Now based on a few OTA practices, so far so good. But I really think people should lower their expectations for this kid. He's very good, but not perfect.

It's interesting in that I assumed Cooks was here to beat the tough man to man which is the coverage that teams try to put on the Pats in the playoffs (except for the Steelers, who never try anything new). The Texans did that and the Pats had to beat them deep. The Falcons did that and the Pats had to beat them outside. Instead it seems like Cooks is a better version of what they already have. If he gets separation he can take it all the way, but he might not be the guy you'd count on to beat the man to man looks or who you'd throw screens to. Posters in the Saints forums definitely shook their heads at the notion of throwing screens to Cook.

So in a game where the opponent was trying press man to man coverage, I'd guess we may see a set with 3 receivers on one side and one on the other. Someone like Mitchell may be the one left alone, while Cooks, Edelman, and DA/Hogan/Gronk are in a bunch on the other side, with Cooks having the benefit of motion. If the safeties roll to the bunch then you count on Mitchell beating a CB on an island. If they play it straight then you run picks and rubs to get Cooks or Edelman the ball with room to run. And then of course there's an accomplished receiving back coming out the backfield, too.

Good thing is he is still a very young pup. Have a feeling the coaches already know what to work on with this guy. Not to mention you have Edelman and Amendola that can show them a trick or two about beating press man.

Was kind of bewildered by the 4 broken tackles tid bit. That pretty awful lol.

Anyway, imagine that, a 23 year old dynamic player that has room to improve? Who would of thought?

Loved the good find KDog.

I love Cooks and have np w/ the trade.

The biggest thing to keep in my mind concerning Cooks is his age. There were 1st rounders older than him this year.

He has plenty of room to get better. Playing with Jules, Dola, Hogan etc and obviously Brady is the best thing that could happen to him.

Great chess piece right now. Not a foundation #1 WR.

Bigger, longer corners aren't the only thing that bothers him. Guys with legit sub 4.4 speed have giving him problems. And I disagree about him being an elite route runner.


We'll absolutely put him in the best position possible to succeed (Go, Corner, Post) and improve where he can. I think R/R will get better and it will be a noticeable difference after time.

Having a guy who can do a few things at an elite level isn't a bad thing at all.

Esp when you combine that w/ our other pieces. It only makes us that much more balanced and flexible.

Make no mistake: JE11 is the Pats #1 wr. He can do more things than Cooks vs. more types of coverage. Unlike Brandin, Jules is superb vs. press and fighting off his man at the line.
But Cooks is a big-time talent who's not fully - developed yet. He's only going to get better with TB12 and Jules showing him the way. His speed is a great extra weapon for the Pats,but so is his quickness-which is edelman-like. I think fans are gonna be wowed like Dion Lewis wowed us before he got hurt.

patfanken said:

However if he demands to "be the man" and get all the targets and a contract that that designation implies, then I believe his time in NE will a short one. If he is going to be here more than 1 or 2 years then he HAS to buy into the Patriot Way bigtime.

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This scenario holds true for every receiver, tight end or running back who has played for the Patriots in the last 17 years.

Brandin Cooks has 162 catches, 2300 yards and 17 TD catches the last 2 years. That's insane. This from a 23 year old who still has room to improve. He had 53 catches for 550 yards as a rookie, in only 10 games (he got hurt). That's 85 catches for almost 900 yards pace, for a 20 year old rookie. Won the Bilitnekoff award in college as the best receiver (128 catches) the season before. This kid, plain and simple, is a baller. Great trade, he's an explosive player who will make everyone around him better and give them more open spaces to work in on the field.

scott99 said:

Brandin Cooks has 162 catches, 2300 yards and 17 TD catches the last 2 years. That's insane. This from a 23 year old who still has room to improve. He had 53 catches for 550 yards as a rookie, in only 10 games (he got hurt). That's 85 catches for almost 900 yards pace, for a 20 year old rookie. Won the Bilitnekoff award in college as the best receiver (128 catches) the season before. This kid, plain and simple, is a baller. Great trade, he's an explosive player who will make everyone around him better and give them more open spaces to work in on the field.

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Pretty much wanted to post exactly this.

Panicking over a video that says he struggles vs press while he still put up back to back 1100 yard seasons? Come on lol.

I like that pre draft article someone posted here a while ago. He's going to love playing in this system.

Yup, the precise route running of Julian Edelman, the nuance of Troy Brown/Deion Branch, and the top end speed of Randy Moss. Only injuries can derail this connection and this team. I'm giddy. Never mind that this is a fantasy football video, of course. LOL