Emanuel Cook, FS

The highly emotional strong safety led the team in tackles in each of his final two seasons, but after being ruled academically for 2008 bowl action the junior decided to leave school early, applying for the 2009 NFL Draft. One of the hardest hitters in the Southeastern Conference, he reminds pro scouts of former Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Willie Wood, another undersized safety who hit like a linebacker.

At Palm Beach Gardens High School, Cook was rated the 21st-best safety in the country by Rivals.com, which also tabbed him as the 51st-best player in the state of Florida overall. The winner of the Palm Beach Post Character Counts Award, he was recognized as the Lou Groza Award Palm Beach County Player of the Year.

Cook was named South Florida Sun-Sentinel Player of the Year for large schools after he led his team to the Class 6A state title as a senior, marking the first state championship in school history.

In his final season, Cook rushed for 2,027 yards and 27 touchdowns. That included for 373 yards and five touchdowns in a game vs. Atlantic, as he also busted a 99-yard run vs. Lake Worth in the playoffs, rushing for 243 yards and four scores in the state title game.

Cook turned down scholarship offers from North Carolina State, Minnesota, Arizona State and Mississippi to sign with South Carolina in 2006, starting five of 10 games he appeared in as a true freshman. The Freshman All-Southeastern Conference choice missed three contests with a knee sprain, but still finished fourth on the team with 47 tackles (40 solos). He posted five stops for loss and caused one fumble.

Cook almost did not play football again after his rookie season. In August, 2007, he was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a pistol, according to the Richland County Detention Center. He was suspended from the team, but later reinstated by the university regents board after the charges were dropped. He still had a few issues that kept him off the field. He underwent an appendectomy in August and was also awaiting transcripts from summer school to see if he would be eligible to play as a sophomore.

All those matters were cleared up and Cook returned to the field by the second game, starting nine contests at strong safety in 2007. The second-team All-SEC choice went on to lead the team with a career-high 92 tackles (77 solos), including four sacks and eight stops for loss. He caused two fumbles, deflected five passes and intercepted three others. He also garnered Sophomore All-American recognition from College Football News.

The Thorpe Trophy semifinalist earned All-SEC second-team recognition from the league's coaches in 2008. He started the first 12 games at strong safety, but was ruled academically ineligible to play in the Outback Bowl. He led the Gamecocks with 87 tackles (62 solos), including 14 hits vs. Mississippi, the most stops in a game by a Gamecock since 2004. He also recovered a fumble that he advanced 52 yards.

Positives: Fearless. … Sound tackler. … Breaks down in space well due to good lateral quickness and balance and shows rare explosion as a hitter of his size. … Can separate the ball from the ballcarrier as a hitter and has three forced fumbles. … Instinctive defender, reads the action quickly. … Smooth hip turn and has a short-area burst to close on the ball. … Immediate standout in the SEC as a freshman.

Negatives: Listed at 5-foot-10, and may be shorter than that. … Questionable straight-line speed. … Protected in coverage a bit by South Carolina's unique 4-2-5 scheme. … Immature. … Missed the Gamecocks' final game (Outback Bowl loss to Iowa) due to an academic suspension. … Arrested for a gun charge and suspended in 2007, though the gun charges were ultimately dropped.

Compares To: BILLY NEWMAN, ex-Tennessee -- Look around the league at the size of strong safeties and the only one under 5-10 is Indianapolis' Bob Sanders. Cook is no Bob Sanders. He is a physical downhill tackler with some excess baggage off the field. He is extremely confident in his abilities, but there are a lot of holes in his game. Outside of serving as a kamikaze on special teams, he is not the type you look for in a starter.

GENERAL REPORT: GRADE: 5.68

Body Structure: Cook has marginal size for a safety (either position), but has a solidly built athletic physique with a defined upper body, tight waist and hips strong thighs and calves, along with minimal body fat.

Athletic Ability: Cook lacks the size you look for in a pro safety and was generally not exposed at South Carolina, as the Gamecocks utilized a 4-2-5 alignment. He has good upper body strength and puts good force behind his hits, but has stiff hips ands is a liability covering in the deep third of the field. He has adequate change of direction and movement skills and is more of a downhill player than an open-field performer. He uses the tools that he has, but outside of decent strength it really isn't that much. He has good acceleration closing on plays in front of him and uses his reach effectively in attempts to dislodge the ball from the ball carrier. GRADE: 5.9

Football Sense: Cook is an instinctive player who makes quick reads. He knows how to stay low in his pads and drive though the opponent when wrap tackling. He struggles in man coverage, but does a good job coming into the box to lend run support. He is a marginal student who might have good field instincts, but there are doubts that he can handle the mental aspect of calling signals in the secondary. GRADE: 5.9

Character: Cook lacks maturity, both on and off the field. He will over-commit on the field and gets too aggressive at times. With his stiff hips, he can ill afford to out-run the play, as he struggles to recover. He has had two serious issues with academics and was also arrested on a gun charge in 2007. GRADE: 4.8

Competitiveness: Cook plays with good aggression, but is prone to getting reckless in his play and will be taken out of position. He hits with authority, but seems to be a marginal blitzer, as he gets stonewalled when trying to penetrate the gaps. He needs to avoid blockers on the move to be effective, as his size is a hindrance taking on linemen in run support. He has the strength to take down ball carriers in pursuit but needs to play with better control. The team's 4-2-5 alignment hid a lot of his technique deficiencies, but he does play with a high motor until the whistle. GRADE: 6.3

Work Habits: Injuries, academic issues, gun charges all spell a player that lacks maturity. He is a good in-the-box safety, but too one-dimensional to be regarded as the "next Bob Sanders." The only thing those two shared are the same size pants legs. He is vocal on the field and confident in his tackling ability, but lacks good eyes for pass coverage and is not athletic enough to cover receivers on deep routes. GRADE: 5.5

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 5.64

Key and Diagnostic Skills: Cook is alert to action in front of him, but is protected quite a bit in pass coverage. He finds and flows to the ball well working in the box, but gets too over aggressive and bites on play-action and misdirection. He gets caught peeking in the backfield quite a bit and loses relationship with the receiver when he does this. GRADE: 5.5

Man Coverage Ability: Cook is adequate covering tight ends and backs in the short area, but even with decent speed he is a liability isolated on the bigger, faster slot receivers. He is at a disadvantage vs. most tight ends due to height issues. He has to get better playing the ball in flight, as he lacks natural hands for the interception and loses quite a few jump ball battles (just three pass thefts and five pass deflections in 33 games). GRADE: 5.0

Zone Coverage Ability: Cook is best covering receivers in the box rather than operating in the deep zone. He has good vision and reaction to plays in front of him and fills the holes fast vs. the run, but does not have that sudden break on the ball in flight. He will usually be in position to make plays near the line of scrimmage, but is inconsistent in deep coverage. GRADE: 5.7

Backpedal Skills: Cook takes false steps in transition and is slow to come out of his breaks. He is strictly a downhill player who tends to stay in his pedal too long. He shows adequate balance and feet going in reverse and needs to come out of his breaks cleaner to stay with the receiver in deep coverage. GRADE: 5.2

Ball Reaction Skills: On plays in front of him, Cook is sudden to close. He gets into position quickly and is an effective wrap up tackler. When he sees the play develop, he does a good job of slipping through trash to get to the ball. GRADE: 6.0

Range/Recovery: Cook plays with a high motor, but is best when working downhill. He gets in trouble when he eyeballs the backfield too long, as he is susceptible to biting on misdirection and play-action. He does not have a great recovery burst when caught out of position, but shows better range in run support than defending vs. the deep pass. GRADE: 5.5

Jumping Ability: Cook can get good elevation, but will still lose jump ball battles due to height issues. He's only been successful in defending eight passes in 33 games. He struggles when combating in a crowd and does not have the skills to look the ball in. GRADE: 5.3

Hands: With three picks and five pass deflections, Cook will never be confused for being a ball hawk. He uses his hands well to play off isolated blocks and can be effective in press coverage, as he has enough punch to jolt and reroute the receiver. His hands are just too unreliable to go for the interception or return kicks. GRADE: 5.9

Run Defense: This is his best area. Cook hits with a thud and is an effective wrap-up tackler. He stays low in his pads and has that low center of gravity to drive the lead blocker back through the holes. He will lose leverage when trying to burst through the crack, as he does not have the hip snap to spin out from combo blocks and is easily washed out by double teams. He willingly tries to fill the rush alley, but would be even better if he had a stronger concept for angling. GRADE: 6.3

Tackling Ability: Cook is certainly a hitter and has developed into a good wrap-up tackler. He will get too intent on delivering kill shots and that results in ball carriers bouncing off his hits or sidestepping when he leaves his feet. When he gets out of control, he will miss more than he hits. GRADE: 6.0

Compares To: BILLY NEWMAN, ex-Tennessee -- Look around the league at the size of strong safeties and the only one under 5-10 is Indianapolis' Bob Sanders. Cook is no Bob Sanders. He is a physical downhill tackler with some excess baggage off the field. He is extremely confident in his abilities, but there are a lot of holes in his game. Outside of serving as a kamikaze on special teams, he is not the type you look for in a starter.

OVERALL GRADE: 5.65

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

Cook started 26 of 33 games at strong safety for South Carolina, recording 226 tackles (179 solos) with four sacks for minus 27 yards, 13.0 stops for losses of 43 yards and three pressures. He caused three fumbles and recovered another, advancing the ball 52 yards. He deflected five passes and gained 72 yards on three interceptions, adding 20 yards on a kickoff return.

All-Southeastern Conference second-team choice by the league's coaches and the Associated Press … Started the first twelve games at strong safety, leading the team with 87 tackles (62 solos), as he added a quarterback pressure and returned a fumble recovery 52 yards … Helped the team rank fourth in the SEC and 13th in the nation in total defense (291.92) and lead the conference while finishing second in the NCAA ranks with an average of 159.23 yards allowed passing … Was ruled academically ineligible and did not play in the Outback Bowl.

North Carolina State … Cook contributed eight solo tackles to the Gamecocks' 34-0 shutout victory over North Carolina State … On the opening kickoff of the second half, Cook limited N.C. State's Andre Brown to just 13 yards on his return, placing the Wolfpack offense deep in its own territory … On the last play of the third quarter, Cook was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on third down, giving N.C. State a first down at its own 33-yard line.

Vanderbilt … Cook posted a team-high 10 tackles (6 solos) and added one quarterback pressure in South Carolina's 24-17 loss to Vanderbilt in its SEC opener … With under five minutes remaining in the first half, on 3rd-&-goal from the USC 2-yard line, Cook pressured Vandy quarterback Chris Nickson into throwing incomplete to tight end Austin Monahan, forcing the Commodores to settle for a 19-yard field goal … Early in the third quarter, Cook limited Nickson to a 1-yard gain to the Vandy 29-yard line on a rushing attempt … Later in the quarter, Vandy wide receiver Sean Walker broke off a 29-yard rush to the USC 13-yard line before being wrapped up by Cook. One play later, Vandy's Jared Hawkins rushed for 12 yards to the USC 1-yard, picking up a first down before he was stopped by Cook … With 7:39 remaining in the game, Cook stopped Chris Nickson for no gain on a rushing attempt from the Vandy 19-yard line.

Georgia … The South Carolina safety made seven solo tackles to the Gamecocks' disappointing 14-7 loss to Georgia … Early in the second quarter, on 3rd-&-7 from the USC 38-yard line, Georgia's Knowshon Moreno picked up the first down with an 11-yard run before being tackled by Cook … With under a minute remaining in the first half, Cook stopped Georgia's Richard Samuel at the 1-yard line following the tailback's 4-yard gain on a reception from quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Wofford … Cook posted a game-high 10 solo tackles in South Carolina's narrow 23-13 win over FCS opponent Wofford … "They did an excellent job executing. We did an okay job on defense. We had a few mistakes here and there and they took advantage of them. They played an excellent game. They won their conference last year and we knew they'd be tough," said Cook of Wofford's performance … Early in the second quarter, on 3rd-&-6 from the Wofford 38-yard line, Terrier wide receiver Andy Strickland gained 8 yards and a first down before being stopped by Cook … With a couple of minutes remaining before halftime, on 3rd-&-12 from the Wofford 48-yard line, Terrier halfback Jeremy Marshall was limited to 3 yards by Cook on a rushing attempt, forcing Wofford to punt on fourth down … During the first drive of the second half, on 2nd-&-4 from the USC 10-yard line, Cook tackled Wofford quarterback Ben Widmyer after a 1-yard rush.

Alabama-Birmingham … Cook had a quiet night vs. UAB, finishing with just two solo tackles in South Carolina's 26-13 win … Midway through the second quarter, on 3rd-&-5 from the UAB 37-yard line, Blazer quarterback Joe Webb completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Darryl Harris, who picked up the first down before being tackles by Cook.

Mississippi … The South Carolina safety posted a career-high 14 tackles and returned a fumble 52 yards, the first fumble recovery of his career, in the Gamecocks' 31-24 victory over SEC-rival Ole Miss … On the first play of the game, Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead completed a 21-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace, who was stopped a the Rebels' 45-yard line by Cook. Later in the drive, on 3rd-&-2 from the USC 20-yard line, Rebel receiver Dexter McCluster rushed for 12 yards and a first down before being brought down by Cook … With 6:46 remaining in the first quarter, Snead completed a 29-yard pass to McCluster, who was tackled by Cook at the USC 43-yard line. Later in the drive, Cook limited Rebel tailback Cordera Eason to 2 yards on a rushing attempt from the USC 11-yard line. One player later, Cook tackled the Rebel's Gerald Harris after the tight end gained 4 yards to the USC 5-yard line on a pass reception from Snead … Early in the second quarter, Cook tackled Ole Miss tailback Brandon Bolden after a 1-yard rush to the Rebels' 15-yard line. Two plays later, on 3rd-&-3 from the Ole Miss 21-yard line, Cook limited Bolden to 2 yards on a pass reception from Snead, forcing the Rebels to punt on fourth down … Midway through the second quarter, Cook limited Dexter McCluster to 2 yards to the USC 24-yard line on a rushing attempt … Early in the third quarter, Cordera Eason managed only 1 yard on a rushing attempt before being stopped by Cook at the Ole Miss 30-yard line. Later in the drive, Cook limited McCluster to 2 yards on a rushing attempt to the USC 16-yard line. And, two plays after that, on 3rd-&-8 from the USC 16-yard line, South Carolina's Chris Culliver forced McCluster to fumble the ball after a 10-yard pass reception from Snead. Cook picked up the fumble at the USC 6-yard line and returned it 52 yards to the Ole Miss 42, setting up Gamecock quarterback Chris Smelley's 6-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Jason Barnes … On the last play of the third quarter, Cook tackled the Rebels' Brandon Bolden after a 2-yard rush near midfield.

Kentucky … Cook posted 5 tackles (2 solos) in South Carolina's 24-17 win over Kentucky, improving head coach Steve Spurrier's record to a perfect 16-0 vs. the Wildcats … Early in the second quarter, on 3rd-&-5 from the Kentucky 15-yard line, Wildcat quarterback Mike Hartline completed a 2-yard pass to tailback Randall Cobb, who was stopped short of the first down by Cook, forcing Kentucky to punt … With 10:34 remaining in the third quarter, Cook limited Kentucky tailback Derrick Locke to 2 yards on a rushing attempt near midfield.

Louisiana State … Cook recorded a game-high 11 tackles (8 solos) in the Gamecocks' 24-17 loss to No. 13 Louisiana State … With 12:56 remaining in the second quarter, Cook stopped LSU tailback Charles Scott after a 2-yard rush to the Tigers' 25-yard line … On LSU's subsequent drive, Cook tackled Scott following a 3-yard rush to the Tigers' 25. Later in the drive, LSU running back Keiland Williams hauled in a 15-yard pass from quarterback Jarrett Lee, picking up the first down before being tackled by Cook at the USC 5-yard line … On the last play of the first half, LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell caught a 23-yard pass from Lee and picked up a first down at the USC 42-yard line, where he was tackled by the Gamecock safety … With 7:45 remaining in the third quarter, Cook limited Charles Scott to 2 yards on a rushing attempt to the USC 41-yard line … Later in the quarter, on 3rd-&-7 from midfield, Lee completed a 17-yard pass to tight end Richard Dickson, who picked up the first down before being wrapped up by Cook … In the fourth quarter, on 3rd-&-1 from the USC 11-yard line, Cook allowed Charles Scott to rush for 6 yards and a first down before making the tackle. On the next play, Cook stopped LSU quarterback Andrew Hatch for no gain at the USC 5-yard line.

Tennessee … The South Carolina defensive back posted five tackles (4 solos) in the Gamecocks' impressive 27-6 win over Tennessee … With 4:44 left in the first half, Tennessee's Arian Foster broke off a 26-yard run to the Vols' 48-yard line, where the tailback was stopped by Cook … On the opening kickoff of the second half, Cook limited Tennessee's Dennis Rogan to 18 yards on the return.

Arkansas … Cook contributed four tackles (3 solos) to South Carolina's 34-21 win … Early in the third quarter, on 3rd-&-2 from the USC 42-yard line, Cook allowed Arkansas tailback Brandon Barnett to pick up 4 yards before making the tackle. Later in the drive, Cook was flagged for a 10-yard holding penalty, setting up the Arkansas offense at the USC 32-yard line. A few plays later, Cook tackled Brandon Barnett after a 2-yard rush to the USC 4-yard line.

Florida … South Carolina safety and game captain Emanuel Cook posted five tackles (3 solos) in the Gamecocks' demoralizing 56-6 loss to the Gators … With 10:17 remaining in the third quarter, Cook limited Florida's Brandon James to just 15 yards on a kickoff return … Near the end of the third quarter, on 3rd-&-3 from the USC 39-yard line, Cook tackled Gator quarterback Tim Tebow after a 4-yard rush, but Florida's Marcus Gilbert was flagged for holding, setting up a 3rd-&-9 play for the Gators … At the 2:21 mark in the third quarter, Cook tackled Florida's Brandon James for no gain on a punt return.

Clemson … Cooked recorded six tackles (1 solo) in the Gamecock's disappointing 31-14 loss to intrastate-rival Clemson … Early in the third quarter, Cook and a teammate limited Clemson tailback James Davis to 2 yards on a rushing attempt to the USC 38-yard line. Later in the drive, on 3rd-&-2 from the USC 6, Davis rushed for 5 yards and a first down before being tackled by Cook at the goal line.

Iowa (Outback Bowl) … Cook's South Carolina career ended on a sour note, as the safety missed the Outback Bowl after being declared academically ineligible.

All-Southeastern Conference second-team choice by the SEC coaches, Associated Press and Rivals.com … Named to the College Football News' first-team Sophomore All-American squad … Was sidelined at the start of the season with an appendectomy, missing the season opener, but returned just two weeks after the operation to play vs. Georgia … Despite missing one game and most of a second, he led the team with a career-high 92 tackles (77 solos), as he added four sacks for minus 27 yards, eight stops for losses of 34 yards and caused two fumblers … Deflected five passes and intercepted three others for 72 yards in returns … His average of 8.4 tackles per game ranked sixth in the conference.

In his first start for the season, Cook made seven solo tackles vs. South Carolina State … Posted eleven tackles with two pass break-ups vs. Louisiana State and came up with seven solo tackles, an 11-yard sack and two stops for loss in the Mississippi State clash … Registered nine solo hits and a stop behind the line of scrimmage vs. Kentucky … Cook followed with nine tackles (8 solos), a 6-yard sack, a pair of stops for losses of 7 yards and gained 38 yards on two interceptions vs. North Carolina … Added eleven hits (9 solos) and a 3-yard sack vs. Vanderbilt and collected ten tackles (8 solos) in the Tennessee contest … Registered nine tackles (8 solos) and caused a fumble vs. Arkansas … Had seven solo stops vs. Florida and closed out the season with nine solo tackles, causing a fumble on a 7-yard sack while returning an interception 34 yards vs. Clemson.

Freshman All-Southeastern Conference selection by the league's coaches and The Sporting News … Played in ten games, starting five contests at strong safety … Sat out the Florida Atlantic, Auburn and Kentucky contests after suffering a left knee sprain vs. Wofford … Still managed to finish fourth on the team with 47 tackles (40 solos), adding five stops for losses of 9 yards and two pressures … Caused one fumble and returned a kickoff 20 yards.

Was the only freshman to start vs. Mississippi State in the season opener, making five tackles (4 solos) … Had nine solo tackles with a stop behind the line of scrimmage and returned a kickoff 20 yards vs. Wofford before hurting his knee … In his first game back, he came off the bench to record six solo tackles and a stop for a loss vs. Vanderbilt … Added seven hits with one behind the line of scrimmage vs. Arkansas and had two stops for minus 6 yards, along with six tackles (4 solos) in the Florida clash.

2006: Sat out the Florida Atlantic (9/23), Auburn (9/28) and Kentucky (10/07) games after suffering a left knee sprain vs. Wofford (9/16).

2007: Underwent an appendectomy in late August, sitting out the season opener vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (9/01).

Campus: 4.57 in the 40-yard dash … 1.56 10-yard dash … 2.69 20-yard dash … 32-inch vertical jump … 4.42 20-yard shuttle … 7.11 three-cone drill.

Combine: 4.57 in the 40-yard dash … 1.53 10-yard dash … 2.65 20-yard dash … 35-inch vertical jump … 9'8" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times.

2007: Cook was arrested on a gun charge Aug. 24, as he was charged with unlawful possession of a pistol, according to the Richland County Detention Center's website. Lt. Chris Cowan of the Richland County Sheriff's Department said university police made the arrest. As a result of an arrest involving a weapon, University of South Carolina Cook summarily suspended him from University.

Cook issued the following statement through his attorney, Lowell E. Bernstein: "I have been reinstated as a student at the University of South Carolina. I appreciate the fair and expeditious handling of this matter by the University and the Office of Judicial Affairs. I understand the seriousness of the charges made against me and believe the actions taken by the University were reasonable and appropriate in this situation. I want to apologize to the entire University community, the football team and staff, and my family and friends for the negative attention which my actions may have brought. I am excited to continue my educational pursuits and assure you I will have a positive impact on the University in the future. I would like to thank you for your support during this difficult period in my life. I also want everyone to know that I am on my way to a full and speedy recovery from my appendectomy which was performed on Sunday."

Following a two-hour afternoon practice session at the Bluff Road fields, coach Steve Spurrier said he appreciated the Student Judicial Committee. "There are certain things (Emanuel's) got to do but we certainly are very happy he is back with us. His appendicitis will keep him out probably two weeks so he probably won't play for a couple. We all learned a lot in the Emanuel Cook incident with the gun. I think our players all know now that if you see a pistol, you need to go the other direction as fast as you can. Don't touch it. It's a good rule. Hopefully we all learned from what happened last week."

Cook was prohibited from taking classes and living in campus housing following his arrest. But the university's judicial affairs office lifted Cook's suspension during a hearing. Spurrier said Cook would be reinstated to the team, as well.

Attended Palm Rivers Garden (Riviera Beach, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Kevin Fleury … Rated the 21st-best safety in the country by Rivals.com, which also tabbed him as the 51st-best player in the state of Florida overall … The winner of the Palm Beach Post Character Counts Award, he was recognized as the Lou Groza Award Palm Beach County Player of the Year … Named South Florida Sun-Sentinel Player of the Year for large schools after he led his team to the Class 6A state title as a senior, marking the first state championship in school history … In his final season, Cook rushed for 2,027 yards and 27 touchdowns … That included for 373 yards and five touchdowns in a game vs. Atlantic, as he also busted a 99-yard run vs. Lake Worth in the playoffs, rushing for 243 yards and four scores in the state title game.

Retailing major … Born 1/20/88 … Resides in Riviera Beach, Florida.