Vikings' Dalvin Cook: Drawing strong reviews as pass blocker

Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said he absolutely trusts Cook in pass protection, ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert reports.

Struggles in protection have kept many a rookie running back off the field, but Cook could prove to be an exception after handling passing-down work throughout much of his time at FSU. Latavius Murray (ankle) does have a strong reputation as a blocker, but he hasn't practiced since signing with the Vikings and still doesn't have a timetable to return. While he likely will have to share the first-team work in practice now that Jerick McKinnon is healthy, Cook is trending in the right direction to earn the lead back job for Week 1. The rookie has the highest ceiling among the trio as a pure runner, and he arguably also has the most potential to develop into a well rounded passing-down back capable of both picking up blitzes and gaining big chunks through the air.