FSU Football: Are Comparisons Between Cam Akers, Dalvin Cook Too Soon?

FSU football is looking to replace the great Dalvin Cook – but despite his early success, is it too soon to anoint Cam Akers as his heir apparent?

As the second ticked off the clock and FSU football became the champions of the 2016 Orange Bowl by holding for a one point win over Michigan, the immediate question became when was the team’s best weapon, running back Dalvin Cook, going to announce that he was heading to the NFL.

While fans of the Seminoles secretly hoped that Cook would have a change in heart and come back for his senior season, no one could blame him for deciding to turn pro after three magical seasons in Tallahassee that saw him break the single season rushing record (twice) and become the school’s all time leading rusher.

Before Cook made his decision, the Seminoles knew they may have already found his replacement when Cam Akers – one of the top running backs in the entire 2017 recruiting class – annouced he was heading to play for FSU football and would enroll in January. After spring practices where he was one of the centers of attention, his performance in the spring game had some already putting him in the starting lineup against Alabama.

ESPN.com writer Andrea Adelson was asked in a recent article who the next Dalvin Cook would be in the ACC. Her answer was someone who will occupy the backfield where DC4 once roamed:

"The best bet: Cam Akers, Florida State.It’s not a coincidence that Akers is in this spot. He is the same size as Cook as listed on the Florida State roster (5-foot-11, 213 pounds) and is in all likelihood going to be tasked with filling Cook’s shoes in an offense that relies heavily on a strong running game."

Florida State Seminoles Football

At this point, it’s no surprise that everyone that is a fan of FSU football wants Cam Akers to be the answer to that question. Nothing would give fans, coaches and teammates more joy than going from one five star high school player who ran for over 1,000 as a freshman to another one doing the same thing.

The only problem is this: Cam Akers will NEVER be Dalvin Cook. By saying that, I’m not saying he won’t be as talented or have as much success as Cook did. Hell, when it’s all said and done Cam Akers could be the greatest player to ever step foot on the campus of Florida State University. But we have to take a breather since he has played just one game – and that didn’t even count.

FSU football can’t replace Dalvin Cook. He was a special player who was one of a kind. The best thing the school – by that, I mean everyone from coaches to fans and everyone in between – can do right now is let Cam Akers be Cam Akers. The roads of college football are littered with players who were expected to be as great as who they were supposed to replace and bottomed out.

When the 2017 starts, Akers could likely take the first snaps at running back – where all he will hear are the comparisons to Dalvin Cook. If he’s smart, he will quickly develop a deafness to all the talk and just be himself – because that’s what got him to Tallahassee.