TicketsLAS VEGAS – Cincinnati safety Bryan Cook was picked by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round with the 62nd overall pick on Friday.
He joins Alec Pierce (No. 53, Indianapolis Colts) and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, who was the highest pick in Cincinnati history at No. 4 overall to the New York Jets, to give Cincinnati three picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft for the first time in school history.
Cook was a Reese's Senior Bowl invitee after a breakout season. He totaled 93 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, with nine pass breakups and interceptions against Indiana and Alabama. His ball-hawking prowess helped the UC secondary rank No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (103.37), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2), No. 3 in interceptions (19) and No. 4 in opponent completion percentage (54.0).
The Cincinnati native, who starred at Mount Healthy High School and transferred home from Howard University for the 2019 season. He was eligible for the next two seasons, earning two starts out of 10 appearances in the 2020 Peach Bowl campaign.
He was a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2021.
"We are thrilled for Bryan and his family," Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell said. "The Chiefs are getting a relentless competitor who will always put the team first. Bryan really embodied the selfless, team-first culture we want to instill in all of our players here at the University of Cincinnati. After Bryan transferred back home here, he had to sit out, battled a few small injuries and was behind a couple of other future NFL players. He kept working hard. He got better every year. When given his opportunity to start this season, he flourished and was really one of our defensive MVPs. I believe he's just scratching the surface at what he can be, and he'll be an outstanding pro."
Cook is the first Bearcat drafted by the Chiefs since offensive lineman Parker Ehinger went in the fourth round (No. 105) in 2016.
Cook is the third Cincinnati safety selected in the last two years. He joins former teammates Darrick Forrest and James Wiggins, who were fifth and seventh round picks, respectively, in 2021.
He joins Alec Pierce (No. 53, Indianapolis Colts) and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, who was the highest pick in Cincinnati history at No. 4 overall to the New York Jets, to give Cincinnati three picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft for the first time in school history.
Cook was a Reese's Senior Bowl invitee after a breakout season. He totaled 93 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, with nine pass breakups and interceptions against Indiana and Alabama. His ball-hawking prowess helped the UC secondary rank No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (103.37), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2), No. 3 in interceptions (19) and No. 4 in opponent completion percentage (54.0).
The Cincinnati native, who starred at Mount Healthy High School and transferred home from Howard University for the 2019 season. He was eligible for the next two seasons, earning two starts out of 10 appearances in the 2020 Peach Bowl campaign.
He was a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2021.
"We are thrilled for Bryan and his family," Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell said. "The Chiefs are getting a relentless competitor who will always put the team first. Bryan really embodied the selfless, team-first culture we want to instill in all of our players here at the University of Cincinnati. After Bryan transferred back home here, he had to sit out, battled a few small injuries and was behind a couple of other future NFL players. He kept working hard. He got better every year. When given his opportunity to start this season, he flourished and was really one of our defensive MVPs. I believe he's just scratching the surface at what he can be, and he'll be an outstanding pro."
Cook is the first Bearcat drafted by the Chiefs since offensive lineman Parker Ehinger went in the fourth round (No. 105) in 2016.
Cook is the third Cincinnati safety selected in the last two years. He joins former teammates Darrick Forrest and James Wiggins, who were fifth and seventh round picks, respectively, in 2021.