James Cook is a Pass-Catching Back for Georgia. James's 2021 season ranks in the 35th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 131 plays — a developing rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Top-10 nationally. Multiple mid-to-large collective deals expected.
Tier is a model estimate based on position, school brand, performance rank, and usage — not a reported deal. NIL deals are private. For a real market valuation, see On3's NIL profile, which factors in social following and actual deal tracking.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne | Clemson | 2019 | 213 | 0.470 | 4.7 | 100.1 |
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | LSU | 2019 | 216 | 0.490 | 5.0 | 105.8 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2017 | 240 | 0.410 | 5.2 | 98.4 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsClemson | W10-3 | 18.7 | 5 | 19 | 3.8 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | -0.06 |
| 2 | vsUAB | W56-7 | 9.1 | 5 | 18 | 3.6 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Car 6 · Rush Yds 77 · Avg 12.8 · Rush TD 0
| 1 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| 0.03 |
| 3 | vsSouth Carolina | W40-13 | 3.9 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 0.91 |
| 4 | @Vanderbilt | W62-0 | -19.4 | 8 | 35 | 4.4 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.44 |
| 5 | vsArkansas | W37-0 | 13.8 | 12 | 87 | 7.3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.41 |
| 6 | @Auburn | W34-10 | 11.0 | 7 | 35 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | -0.08 |
| 7 | vsKentucky | W30-13 | 13.4 | 6 | 51 | 8.5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 0.56 |
| 9 | vsFlorida | W34-7 | 11.0 | 10 | 46 | 4.6 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0.44 |
| 10 | vsMissouri | W43-6 | 3.1 | 9 | 41 | 4.6 | 1 | — | — | — | -0.04 |
| 11 | @Tennessee | W41-17 | 17.5 | 10 | 104 | 10.4 | 2 | 3 | 43 | 1 | 0.93 |
| 12 | vsCharleston Southern | W56-7 | — | 6 | 57 | 9.5 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 0.84 |
| 13 | @Georgia Tech | W45-0 | -6.7 | 8 | 37 | 4.6 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.08 |
| 14 | vsAlabama | L24-41 | 26.0 | 11 | 38 | 3.5 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 0 | 0.16 |
| 1 | vsMichigan | W34-11 | 23.4 | 6 | 32 | 5.3 | 0 | 4 | 112 | 1 | 0.43 |
| 1 | vsAlabama | W33-18 | 26.0 | 6 | 77 | 12.8 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0.43 |
