Jimbo re: Mond & Cook

[purplefaithful]

Before this year’s draft, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said that quarterback Kellen Mond“does all of the things you need to judge a first-round player” in a push to get the former Aggie starter to go in the first 32 picks.

Mond wound up staying on the board into the third round, which is where the Vikings snapped him up with the 66th overall pick. While that wasn’t as high as Fisher was pushing for Mond to go in April, he thinks that landing behind Kirk Cousins and playing for Mike Zimmer is a good way for the rookie to start his professional career.
“Being behind Kirk, who’s a great veteran, who’s been productive, I think it’s a perfect set-up for [Mond],” Fisher said, via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I’m happy. . . . I think Minnesota’s one of the top organizations in [the NFL], and I think that’s very important where you go and play pro football. I think [Zimmer is] a great football coach, a great football mind.”
Cousins is signed through the 2022 season and that should leave Mond with plenty of time to learn from the sideline if the veteran plays well. His progress through that process and Cousins’ performance will determine when Mond goes from holding a clipboard to taking snaps.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...llen-mond/

[Guest]

Jimbo Fisher on teams that bypassed Vikings star Dalvin Cook in NFL draft: ‘I used to laugh at that’Dalvin Cook declared last year that he is the “best back” in the NFL. So what does his former college coach think about that? 

“I’m not going to disagree with him, I promise,” said Jimbo Fisher. 
Fisher coached Cook at Florida State from 2014-16 and is now the coach at Texas A&M. He has followed the running back closely since he joined the Vikings in 2017. 
“I’ve been down the alley with him,” Fisher said in a recent telephone interview. “I’ll take him with anybody in pro football. I know there are some great ones, and I don’t mean to slight anybody else, but I know what Dalvin’s capabilities are, I know what his mindset is. And to me, he’s one of the most special guys in the league.” 

When Cook was selected by Minnesota with the No. 41 overall pick in the second round of the 2017 draft, Fisher said he “was definitely a first-round talent.” You better believe there are teams that regret not taking Cook in the first round. 
“The Vikings got the steal of the draft in that one, I promise you,” Fisher said. “All the ones who didn’t think he was first round, I never understood that, and I used to laugh at that in that somebody’s going to regret that one day.” 
Cook sat out 12 games as a rookie in 2017 due to a torn ACL and five games in 2018 because of hamstring issues. But he came back to rush for 1,135 yards in 2019 and 1,557 more in 2020. 
Cook missed one game last season with a groin strain and another due to the death of his father. Still, he finished second in the NFL in both rushing and yards from scrimmage with 1,918. He led the NFL with an average of 137 yards from scrimmage per game. 
“That’s my buddy,” Fisher said. “It doesn’t surprise me whatever he does. He’s as good as I’ve ever been around and as great of a player as he is, he’s a better person. He’s a workaholic, he’s a team guy. I love him to death. One of the all-time favorites I’ve ever coached. You talk about a competitor and a warrior, you can’t say enough great things about him.” 

At Florida State, Cook rushed for 4.464 yards in three seasons, including 1,765 as a junior in 2016. 
Fisher said he watches Cook “all the time” with the Vikings on television and reaches out to him “every now and then.” He continues to be impressed with how Cook, who last season ran the ball 312 times and made 44 catches for 361 yards, continues to bounce back from all the hits he takes. 
“He gets banged up, and he comes back with big moments and big plays,” Fisher. “I have as much respect for him as anybody.” 
With the NFL expanding the schedule from 16 to 17 games this season, Cook said recently he hasn’t set any individual goals for 2021. But if he remains healthy, a 2,000-yard rushing season certainly seems within reach. 
“However much they give it to him, I promise you he’ll be as good of an option as they have,” Fisher said. 
https://www.twincities.com/2021/07/05/ji...h-at-that/

[Guest]

Fournette and Mccaffery only rb’s taken ahead, neither a reach at the time.  LF didn’t work for the Panthers but that may have been more of Jags culture thing.  Still very lucky he’s a Viking, Kamara was still on the board, that could have been good too

[Guest]

@"BigAl99" said:
Fournette and Mccaffery only rb’s taken ahead, neither a reach at the time.  LF didn’t work for the Panthers but that may have been more of Jags culture thing.  Still very lucky he’s a Viking, Kamara was still on the board, that could have been good too

Pre draft I read numerous reports that we loved Kamara.  I think the way the draft fell prompted us to move up a couple spots and flip-flop (pick 41/48) with Cincy and go get Cook.  I don't think we expected Cook to drop that far down and out of the first round (we did not have a first rounder).  We obviously did not like Mixon (thank god - scumbag) and then Cincy  to Mixon.  If we had stayed put I would think we would have drafted Kamara at 48.  Instead he went pick 67 to the Saints.  

[Guest]

@"minny65" said:

@"BigAl99" said:
Fournette and Mccaffery only rb’s taken ahead, neither a reach at the time.  LF didn’t work for the Panthers but that may have been more of Jags culture thing.  Still very lucky he’s a Viking, Kamara was still on the board, that could have been good too

Pre draft I read numerous reports that we loved Kamara.  I think the way the draft fell prompted us to move up a couple spots and flip-flop (pick 41/48) with Cincy and go get Cook.  I don't think we expected Cook to drop that far down and out of the first round (we did not have a first rounder).  We obviously did not like Mixon (thank god - scumbag) and then Cincy  to Mixon.  If we had stayed put I would think we would have drafted Kamara at 48.  Instead he went pick 67 to the Saints.  

well having Kamara wouldnt have been all bad either,  but then again,  who knows how things turn out for Kamara in purple and if Cook would have had the same career if he started off some where else.

[Guest]

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"minny65" said:

@"BigAl99" said:
Fournette and Mccaffery only rb’s taken ahead, neither a reach at the time.  LF didn’t work for the Panthers but that may have been more of Jags culture thing.  Still very lucky he’s a Viking, Kamara was still on the board, that could have been good too

Pre draft I read numerous reports that we loved Kamara.  I think the way the draft fell prompted us to move up a couple spots and flip-flop (pick 41/48) with Cincy and go get Cook.  I don't think we expected Cook to drop that far down and out of the first round (we did not have a first rounder).  We obviously did not like Mixon (thank god - scumbag) and then Cincy  to Mixon.  If we had stayed put I would think we would have drafted Kamara at 48.  Instead he went pick 67 to the Saints.  

well having Kamara wouldnt have been all bad either,  but then again,  who knows how things turn out for Kamara in purple and if Cook would have had the same career if he started off some where else.

Not at all.  

leading up to the draft I did not want us to go RB with our first pick (second round).  I really liked D Dawkins (OT - Temple) and was all over him he went late second (??) to the Bills, not looking up.  I saw him play at Temple and thought he would be a good pick - he would have been because he is a stud with the Bills.  

Other then wanting Dawkins I absolutely hated Mixon (99% for coldcocking that female student on video - complete scumbag).  I have not read about him being any trouble in the NFL but I still root against him.  
I didn't look at Cook that closely because I assumed he would be gone.  Kamara I looked at closely because of our rumored interest.  Honestly I would have taken Dawkins and hoped Kamara fell to our second pick which would not have happened.