FSU Football: Top Five Recruiting Gifts of the Jimbo Fisher Era

Dalvin Cook

When five-star running back Dalvin Cook flipped his commitment from the University of Florida to FSU, Jimbo Fisher had to be elated. Fisher knew that he had reeled in an elite talent away from FSU’s biggest rival. However, he couldn’t have known he had just received a commitment from a player that would turn out to be the greatest running back in FSU football history.

Cook’s original commitment was to another rival of FSU’s: Clemson. Cook then flipped his commitment to UF, before finally deciding that FSU was the place he would play his college football. Not only did FSU reel in what would become the greatest running back in school history, they prevented two of their rivals from adding an elite talent.

Cook enrolled early at FSU but suffered a minor setback in a freak accident when he injured himself via a fall in the weight room. Cook wasn’t receiving much playing time in the early part of his freshman season with Karlos Williams and Mario Pender carrying the load. With Williams already out with an injury and Pender going down against Syracuse, Cook was forced to step in and it was immediately clear he was the best back on FSU’s roster.

On just 170 carries, Cook managed 1,008 rushing yards and won MVP of the ACC championship game. In 2015 Cook built on his freshman campaign with a phenomenal season tallying 1,935 total yards and 20 touchdowns despite battling injuries. Cook’s final campaign was something special for FSU fan’s as they saw Cook break the all-time FSU rushing record, held by Warrick Dunn since 1996.

With one game to go, Cook’s career rushing yards are at 4,319. While FSU was unable to win a national title with Cook on the roster, he provided FSU fans thorough entertainment as a big play waiting to happen. With Cook becoming the all-time leading rusher at FSU, he has to be considered one of the top recruiting victories of the Jimbo Fisher era.