Cam Cook Cracks Major List of Top College Football Players

The hype for Cam Cook in Rich Rodriguez’s system has reached a new level. Cook cracked on ESPN’s list of the top 100 players in all of college football.

Placing Cook at No. 84 among every player at every position across the sport, an ESPN writer wrote this about West Virginia’s top featured running back.

“Cook was one of the top transfer portal running backs this offseason after he finished as the nation’s rushing leader at Jacksonville State, and the 5-9, 203-pound senior should provide an immediate jolt to coach Rich Rodriquez’s Mountaineers offense, which ranked 14th in the Big 12 in scoring last fall. A former TCU standout, Cook made life difficult on would-be tacklers a year ago, ranking top three nationally in first downs (84), runs of 10-plus yards (54) and yards after contact (1,075),” said one ESPN writer.

More of the preseason accolades and hype for Cam Cook:

Cook, a WVU senior, will open his final college season as a member of the Senior Bowl Top 300. He’s West Virginia’s lone player on the list.

Cook is also on the Doak Walker Award Watch List, recognizing him as a contender for the honor as the nation’s best running back.

A member of multiple preseason All-America teams and also on the Maxwell Award Watch List, Cook will try to take his game another level in Rich Rodriguez’s system.

Coming to West Virginia after being the nation’s leading rusher in 2025 with Jacksonville State, Cook still has plenty left to prove as a Mountaineer, namely if he can pivot his ability to be a workhorse over to the Power Four level.

West Virginia running back Cam Cook carries the ball during the Gold-Blue Festival’s scrimmage in April, 2026. (WV Sports Now photo by Kelsie LeRose)

Can he dominate to the same level in the Big 12? Can he handle a big workload without much experience behind him? Will Cook be enough if West Virginia does not find stable backups to share the touches in a run-first offense? These are all valid questions people are asking and wondering about when it comes to Cook as a Mountaineer.

Fully aware of the pressure and expectations, Cook is confident in himself, too. He knows he can take the WVU offense to new heights in 2026.

Cook explained his mentality and why he holds himself to a very high standard after spring practice on Monday, March 30. On the heels of being the nation’s leading rusher in 2025, Cook feels ready to be a featured back in the Big 12 again.

Cam Cook Is Confident He Can Carry WVU Offense: ‘I’m Going to Do Whatever It Takes’

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the team,” Cook said about his role as a Mountaineer. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to help us get to where we need to go. Last year, they asked me to do a lot, and I did whatever the team needed.”

“I have changed a lot since then,” responded Cook when asked how he’s changed since starting his college career at TCU.

“I’m a bigger back, I’m faster and smarter. I know what’s going on on all sides of the field. Not just what the running back is doing, but how the offensive line is blocking and where they’re trying to get to.”

Find more coverage of Cam Cook and WVU football at WV Sports now.

For a related story, Cam Cook opened up about why he picked West Virginia and why he fits so well in Rich Rodriguez’s system.