Bills add Cook to backfield late in 2nd round

The Buffalo Bills selected Georgia running back James Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 63 overall.

Cook, the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, set career highs at Georgia last year with 728 rushing yards (6.4 per carry) and seven touchdowns. He also showed dual-threat potential, amassing 284 yards and four TDs on 27 receptions last season.

Buffalo has lacked consistency at running back in recent years, though Devin Singletary set a career high with 870 yards (4.6 per rushing attempt) in 2021. Quarterback Josh Allen finished second on the team with 763 yards and six touchdowns on the ground on 122 carries.

With Cook, the Bills add another explosive playmaker to an offense that ranked top-three in points in each of the last two seasons.

Scouting profile: James Cook

Cook is an exceptional pass-catching back who can be flexed into the slot or out wide, presenting a serious mismatch for linebackers. Though his straight-line speed is scary, he tends to go down easily when a defender gets a piece of him. As Georgia figured out, he's a weapon best deployed in a committee rather than a full-time lead back like his brother Vikings star Dalvin Cook. James actually scored better in athletic testing than Dalvin, but his skill set and smaller frame make him unlikely to emerge as a high-volume player.