Though UW Secondary Suffered, Cook's Reputation Appears Intact

Ten teams wanted to meet with the Husky free safety at the all-star game in Florida.

The University of Washington secondary was a season-long problem area for Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff, but that doesn't mean there weren't talented players back there.

Some were injured and others inexperienced. Candidly, some might not have been Pac-12 worthy.

Repeated touchdown passes over the top were a strong indicator. Six recently signed Husky DBs was another clue.

That said, sixth-year senior free safety Alex Cook seems to have come out of this challenging time with his reputation intact.

At last weekend's Hula Bowl, held in Florida these days rather than Hawaii, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound defender from Sacramento, California, was a sought-after interview for the NFL scouts in attendance in Orlando. 

The well-utilized Cook, who demonstrated great Husky leadership skills and the propensity to hit people but didn't always get a great break on the ball, met with 10 different franchises.

Cook's list of interviewees, according to Draft Network: the Kansas City Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Miami Dolphins, the Tennessee Titans, the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Giants, the Buffalo Bills, the Detroit Lions, the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. 

The Chiefs, who drafted UW cornerback Trent McDuffie as first-rounder last year, could have a big need for safeties, with Juan Thornhill and Deon Bush headed for free agency.

From the Husky secondary, Cook was the lone survivor, as well as its leader. He's the only one of the five normal starters to avoid injury and open all 13 games during an 11-2 season. 

He was rewarded with being named a co-captain and a second-team All-Pac-12 selection.

Cook did this last season with just one pass-defense stat, a deflection in his final college game against Texas in the Alamo Bowl, one of three in his career. 

A three-year secondary starter after coming to the UW as a wide receiver, Cook had one interception in Montlake, coming against Arizona State in 2021.

Teams no doubt respect his maturity and physical style. As for his pass defense, he might have been made vulnerable at times trying to overcompensate for the young, untested players surrounding him.

He projects as a third-day draft selection. 

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