I was surprised Connor Cook lasted until the fourth round. I think most people were. The general feeling was that he would go in either the second or third. Eventually the Raiders traded up and got him, figuring to develop behind behind Derek Carr.

What made Cook fall? Nobody knows for sure, and different teams could have passed on him for different reasons. There was some talk about his leadership and personality, with the observation that he wasn’t a captain at Michigan State.

Just looking at the numbers, though, I see that Cook never completed 59 percent of his passes in any of his years as a starter. With the way the game is played nowadays, that’s a remarkably low number.

Cook was down at 56 percent last year.

In the last 10 years, 29 quarterbacks have been selected in the first round. All but one of them completed a higher percentage of passes in his final college season. Only Jake Locker comes in lower, and he had the athleticism dimension. (Also note that Locker is out of the league already.)

Accuracy is important. Job is to put the ball in the hands of pass catchers. And that might be why some didn’t feel Cook was worth a gamble pick in the second or third round.

COMPLETION PERCENTAGES OF FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS (and Cook)
YearPlayerPctYardsTDIntRating
2012Brandon Weeden, Clev.72.3%4,7273713109.6
2012Robert Griffin III, Wash.71.7%4,293376130.1
2012Andrew Luck, Ind.71.3%3,5173710118.0
2014Teddy Bridgewater, Minn.71.0%3,970314120.3
2014Johnny Manziel, Clev.69.9%4,1143713116.4
2015Marcus Mariota, Tenn.68.3%4,454424128.4
2013EJ Manuel, Buff.68.0%3,3972310104.3
2007JaMarcus Russell, Oak.67.8%3,129288114.3
2010Tim Tebow, Den.67.8%2,895215112.7
2014Blake Bortles, Jac.67.8%3,581259109.6
2016Paxton Lynch, Den.66.8%3,776284110.6
2011Cam Newton, Car.66.1%2,854307124.9
2009Mark Sanchez, NYJ65.8%3,2073410113.0
2006Matt Leinart, Ariz.65.7%3,815288107.6
2015Jameis Winston, T.B.65.3%3,907251893.2
2006Vince Young, Tenn.65.2%3,0362610109.2
2016Jared Goff, L.A.64.5%4,7194313109.8
2008Joe Flacco, Balt.63.5%4,26323599.8
2011Blaine Gabbert, Jac.63.4%3,18616986.2
2016Carson Wentz, Phil.62.5%1,651174106.5
2007Brady Quinn, Clev.61.9%3,426377104.4
2012Ryan Tannehill, Mia.61.6%3,744291589.2
2011Christian Ponder, Minn.61.5%2,04420893.0
2009Matthew Stafford, Det.61.4%3,4592510101.7
2008Matt Ryan, Atl.59.3%4,507311983.9
2006Jay Cutler, Den.59.1%3,07321986.1
2009Josh Freeman, T.B.58.6%2,94520891.8
2010Sam Bradford, St.L.56.5%5622092.8
2016Connor Cook, Oak.56.1%3,13124793.3
2011Jake Locker, Tenn.55.4%2,26517982.5

On the "rating" here, by the way, that's not their college passer rating, but their rating using the NFL's complex formula.

—Ian Allan