The Minnesota Vikings looked like they immediately found themselves a running back of the future when they drafted Dalvin Cook in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Prior to taking Cook, the Vikings cut ties with the legendary Adrian Peterson, thus opening a gaping hole in their backfield. Cook was supposed to inherit Peterson’s role, but those plans are temporarily shelved as of the moment as the Florida State product continues to recover from a serious knee injury.
Speaking to a group of reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Express, Cook promised that once he fully recovers, he’ll come back to the field as a better player, just like Peterson, who was named MVP of the 2012 season a year after rupturing his ACL.
“A.P. came back incredible,” Cook said. “He’s just a freak of nature. You rarely get guys like that. When you get ACL surgery, that’s the main goal: You want to come back like A.P.”
“Truly, in my opinion, I just think I’ll just come back better than ever,” he said.
Cook wasted no time proving to the Vikings that he was worth spending a draft pick by setting a new franchise-record right out of the gate, rushing for 127 yards in a 29-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. It was the most yards on the ground in a debut by a Vikings rookie since Peterson ran for 103 yards in his regular-season opener in 2007.
Cook, however, suffered a torn ACL during Week 4’s meeting with the Detroit Lions, effectively ending his season. In four games played this season, Cook gathered 354 rushing yards on 74 carries.
For the meantime, the Vikings are letting the pair of Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray handle most of the backfield duties.
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