Georgia lands another 5-star RB as James Cook picks Bulldogs
James Cook’s commitment on Thursday to Georgia was about relationships, and comfort and all the usual, boring platitudes. The five-star running back says as much when pushed to give the reasons behind his decision. His initial statement, however, is a bit more ambitious.
Asked what led him to choose the Bulldogs over offers from nearly every major program in the country, Cook holds back little. His decision, it seems, was made with purpose.
“I’m going to win a national championship,” Cook said on Thursday. “That’s it. That’s the reason I’m going to Georgia.”
That’s the headline, but five-star prospect doesn’t mind elaborating. The more he talks about his choice, however, the more clear it becomes that Georgia’s ability to land James Cook, the younger brother of former Florida State star Dalvin Cook, was rooted in success.
James Cook has been high on Georgia for some time. The Bulldogs have been his leader since the moment he backed off his pledge to Florida State in the offseason, but the program’s current trajectory is what sealed this deal.
“It’s a great program and they’re getting ready to make history with the guys they have and have coming,” Cook said. “So, for me, it’s ‘why not go be great?’”
Cook joins fellow five-star running back Zamir White, the No. 1 rated RB in the nation, and five-star quarterback Justin Fields in what is shaping up as a historic class for coach Kirby Smart.
Cook says he intends to pass on this December’s early signing period, electing to sign with UGA in February instead. The five-star prospect says he has not decided if he will take other visits between now and then. He’s also quick to point out that his decision to wait to sign a letter of intent shouldn’t be taken as a sign of uncertainty.
“I’ve liked Georgia for awhile and I’ve been thinking about getting it over with for a long time,” Cook said. “Me and my mom talked about it a lot and we just decided we were going to release it today.”
Cook isn’t much for discussing schematic fit. For now, he has no interest in that. According to him, that’s a conversation he’ll have with the UGA staff down the line.
“As far as how I fit in, I’m just coming in to try to earn a role there,’ Cook said. “I’ll do what they need me to do.”
Cook, who attends Miami Central High School, is ranked as the No. 3 running back and the No. 16 overall prospect in the class of 2018.
