From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Missouri QB Brady Cook.
No. 12, BRADY COOK, QB, MISSOURI (Redshirt Senior) — 6021, 214 pounds
-2025 East-West Shrine Bowl participant
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Brady Cook | 6021/214 | 9 1/4″ | 32 1/2″ | 77 5/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.59 | 1.53 | 4.17 | 7.01 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’8″ | 37″ | N/A |
THE GOOD
-Good size, athleticism for the position
-Has a good feel in the pocket; willing to stand in and deliver
-Shows ability to layer throws with good touch and accuracy
-Strong arm, easy delivery; can really zip it when he needs to
-Does his best work pre-snap; able to see leverage and determine best matchups based on looks
-Able to move around extend plays and remain accurate with strong arm off platform
-Feels pressure well and displays ability to escape from pocket and make something out of nothing
-Tough football player; drags his team into the fit and shows great leadership throughout games; never too high, never too low
-Showed ability to be involved in designed-run aspect of offenses at Mizzou
THE BAD
-Tends to stare down receivers, allowing defensive backs and linebackers to get back into the play
-Doesn’t throw with much anticipation against zone; has to see it to sling it after play develops
-Lacks that elite tool to set him apart from other quarterbacks
-Arm strength wanes when pushing the ball down the field
-Mechanics fall off when taking deep shots; doesn’t consistently step into throws, struggles with ball placement downfield
-Thin frame from a density perspective; struggled with nagging injuries throughout career
-Needs to learn to better protect himself as a runner; doesn’t need to be taking as many hits in open field as he did in college
BIO
-Three-year team captain at Missouri in 2022, 2023 and 2024
-Four-year starter that had to win starting QB battle in camp in 2021, 2023 and 2023 before solidifying himself ahead of 2024 season
-Played in 46 career games with 39 starts
-Threw for 9,251 yards and 50 touchdowns with the Tigers, completing 773 of 1,173 passes (65.9%). He threw just 15 interceptions
-Finished 2024 season with 2,535 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions; added 223 rushing yards and five touchdowns
-Made headlines for his triumphant return to the field late against Auburn, leading a late comeback win after going to the hospital early on in the game with an ankle injury
-Former 3-star recruit that chose Missouri as a hometown kid. Mizzou was his first Power 5 offer coming out of high school
-Grew up a diehard Mizzou fan, called it a “dream come true” to be able to be the starting QB for the Tigers
-Graduated in 2022 with a business degree and a certificate in investments; added master’s degree in business administration and a certificate in financial management
TAPE BREAKDOWN
A four-year starter in the SEC, Missouri QB Brady Cook brings a great deal of experience to the table in the 2025 NFL Draft class at the QB position, a class that many believe is on the weaker side outside of the top two big names in Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
For Cook, that’s nothing new. He’s been doubted most of his collegiate career, having to win a quarterback competition entering the season on three separate occasions, turning back all comers all three times before solidifying himself as the guy entering 2024. Then he battled injuries for much of the season, leading to a decrease in production.
But he went out with a bang in his final game, dominating at against Iowa in the bowl game, and has had a strong pre-draft cycle, capped off by a great showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, which has caused his name to generate some buzz.
The tape shows that buzz is warranted. He’s a good athlete at the position who commanded the Tigers’ offense well in 2024 with a bunch of playmakers around him. He showed off his leadership and toughness, too, which will endear him at the next level, having been a captain three years in a row in college.
Cook has clean mechanics throughout much of his tape. He stands tall in the box with a steady base underneath him, and he possesses a quick, strong release on the football. He has the arm strength in the intermediate window to zip throws into the tight windows, doing so with good accuracy to hit receivers in stride for big plays.
This is a good example of that zip on throws in the intermediate areas of the field into tight windows.
That’s great pace and accuracy on the ball from Cook, leading to an explosive play against Auburn.
Cook throws a very accurate, strong ball. He’ll stand in and deliver with pressure in his face, and the accuracy in these instances is good.
This throw against Boston College early in the season is a good example of that. You can see the pressure in his face, but he reads the route concepts well, sees the opening and fires it to the far sideline with good pace and accuracy for the big gain.
Cook also has a good feel for where to put the ball, keeping his receiver out of harm’s way, while also mitigating risks with the football. He throws with good touch in these moments and can put the ball where he wants it, which is rather impressive.
He reads this one really well after the snap, sees his receiver has the leverage and then throws a good back-shoulder football, allowing his receiver to adjust and make the catch for the touchdown. If he throws this to the back pylon, there’s a chance the defensive back can sink and make a play.
But Cook doesn’t allow that to happen due to his ability to put the ball where he wants it in these situations, throwing guys open, and keeping the ball out of harm’s way.
He can do it on the move, too.
That’s one heck of a throw from Cook on the move. His arm strength and accuracy don’t really fall off when he’s on the move. He can still torque and create good zip on the ball, and he threads the needle here, putting the ball where only WR Luther Burden III can make a play for the score against Mississippi State.
While I do like Cook’s mechanics quite a bit in the pocket, he’s also shown the ability to reset, climb and throw off platform when need-be.
Again, the arm strength doesn’t fade in these situations, particularly in the intermediate area.
When he’s working in those intermediate areas, the ball comes off of his hand well. He’s able to generate power on the throws even when his feet aren’t set, which is a positive when it comes to his athletic profile.
Mobility is a good part of Cook’s game, too. The Tigers used him in plenty of designed-run situations, particularly in the red zone. He’s comfortable working in that portion of the game and has good vision and feel for where to find the cracks and attack as a runner.
He also has a good feel for when to escape the pocket and has the wheels to make a play when things break down.
While there’s a lot of good in Cook’s film, there are some concerns, especially when he attempts to push the ball down the field.
On some throws where he’s working vertically down the sideline, his arm strength wanes as the ball flutters and dies on him. He missed some throws with those issues this past season. He tried to overcorrect at times, and it led to his vastly overthrowing targets down the field, too.
He looked good at the Combine throwing on air downfield, but on tape there were some issues this past season.
CONCLUSION
Overall, I came away liking Cook’s tape more than I expected. It felt like he was in college for quite awhile, and after a great 2023 season he didn’t have the type of year many expected in 2024. Injuries were a part of that despite having really good weapons around him. But the tape shows a guy that is tough as nails, will stand in there and deliver, and can provide a wrinkle in the designed-QB run, as well as from a scrambling perspective.
He showed adequate arm strength to the boundary in the intermediate areas and can really rip throws over the middle. He’s sound throwing off platform, too. But on tape the deep ball really lacked, and there were times where he made questionable decisions after staring down receivers, allowing defensive backs and linebackers to get into plays and knock the ball away. He also seemingly had to see guys open before throwing, rather than throwing with anticipation.
Still, there’s a good foundation to work with when it comes to Cook as that athletic, tough quarterback who can work in the quick passing game, can throw on the move and has great leadership. He reminds me of former NFL QB Kevin Kolb, going back a bit in the NFL database on that one.
Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 – Fifth Round (Backup/Special Teamer)
Games Watched: Boston College (2024), Vanderbilt (2024), Auburn (2024), Mississippi State (2024), Arkansas (2024), Iowa (2024)
