Gophers' Cobb: 'Great feeling to compete' against fellow Big Ten RBs
INDIANAPOLIS -- David Cobb doesn't even have to look outside of the Big Ten to find a group of running backs who are considered better draft prospects than him. That's perfectly fine with the 21-year-old University of Minnesota star. In fact, it fuels Cobb as he continues to prepare for the NFL.
With the likes of Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah and Indiana's Tevin Coleman alongside him throughout this process, Cobb will likely find himself as the fourth Big Ten running back selected.
"You can't relax, you can't take a week off because you have four or three other guys in the Big Ten just as good as you are or better," Cobb said Thursday at the Scouting Combine. "So it definitely was a great feeling to compete every week and actually get a chance to play those guys."
Cobb finished his senior season with 1,626 rushing yards, which ranked him 11th in the nation. However, it was only the fourth-most rushing yards in the conference. Standing out from the pack of Big Ten running backs isn't easy.
Now, Cobb enters a 2015 draft that features what many analysts are saying is one of the best running-back groups in years.
"I think you want to be part of a class like this," Cobb said. "There's so much great talent -- seniors, juniors, everyone's coming out. And it's one of those things when you're in a group of guys and you see those big names, you want to stick your chest out a little bit and you just want to compete. That's what I'm here to do."
Cobb has been told that his running style is similar to the Houston Texans' four-time Pro Bowl selection Arian Foster. Growing up, he loved watching running backs like Adrian Peterson, Eddie George and Terrell Davis. Currently, Cobb enjoys watching Le'Veon Bell.
Though he knows he won't be a first-round pick like Peterson and George were, Cobb understands successful NFL careers can begin in the second round like it did with Bell or the sixth round like it did with Davis.
"My goal is what it's been since I was little: to play in the NFL," Cobb said. "So, first or seventh (round), it doesn't really matter to me. Everyone wants to go first round, but the reality is it's not going to happen. Whenever my name is called, I'll be ready to come."
Fellow Gopher Maxx Williams will almost certainly be drafted before Cobb. But the 20-year-old tight end was gushing with praise over his college teammate.
"You all know he's a great back," Williams said. "He's the guy who's going to get out there and make plays. Third-and-1, third-and-2, third-and-3, I'm giving David Cobb the ball and let him try to hit a hole. He's cool to watch. We watched him on film. He's kind of getting to the line, he's getting hit and he's still going to get you those two or three yards."
Cobb returned the favor to Williams.
"He's a great teammate," Cobb said. "I'm sure everyone knows just how good he is. He makes those spectacular catches, more so in practice than he does in the game."
At the Senior Bowl, the feedback from NFL coaches and general managers to Cobb was that they wanted to see him catch the ball. Cobb only had 34 career receptions in college.
"I think I left a good impression that I could catch the ball and run routes and pass protect," Cobb said. "That's the biggest thing that I left feeling confident about, pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield. I felt like I had a good showing and I could do those things."
Getting drafted is step one for Cobb. After that, he'll set his sights on his next set of goals.
"I think coming in, I would be happy if I could just get on the team first," he said. "The second goal is to try to take someone's job. You just take baby steps and once you get your chance, hopefully you take advantage of it and you get those 10 to 15 to 20 carries a game.
"Nothing is going to be handed to you. You've just got to earn it."
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