Brandin Cooks makes case as fastest Cowboy

We’ve all heard the stories about new Cowboys receiver Brandin Cooks‘ speed. He’s three months away from his 30th birthday, but he still blows past cornerbacks and makes them look so very silly.

Nine years ago, Cooks vaulted into the first round of the NFL Draft when he ran a sizzling 4.30 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He hasn’t lost a step.

But is Brandin Cooks the fastest Cowboy? Ace returnman KaVontae Turpin would like word in the speed conversation. So would special teamer C.J. Goodwin. Back in 2019, Turpin ran a hand-held time of 4.31. Meanwhile, Goodwin reportedly ran a 4.41.

But is Brandin Cooks the fastest Cowboy?

“Hey, I’m not going to speak for it,” he told reporters. “Maybe it is Turp. You never know. Maybe it might be CJ. We not going to find out because I’m not doing any racing.”

He added: “I mean, you really never know until you know, you know? You had to give a little taste just to be like, ‘All right, it’s still there.’”

So no racing between now and training camp. Maybe it’s because the receiver still is settling in. Or maybe it’s because the 29-year-old would rather show speed on the field as opposed to wasting it against a stop watch. Cooks came to the Cowboys via trade back in March. Dallas sent fifth- and sixth-round draft picks to the Texans in exchange for Cooks. The receiver is kind of an NFL nomad. He’s played for the Saints, Patriots, Rams, Texans and now the Cowboys. But people always remember him for his fleet feet.

“The speed is real,” Cowboys receivers coach Robert Prince said of Cooks. He also coached him when the two were with the Texans in 2021.

Cooks put an exclamation point on mini camp when he caught a long touchdown pass by out running the nearest DB.

Brandin Cooks on showing off his speed on this play: “It was good, just to be able to get a little bit of the taste of just really how Dak can, I mean, he can throw any ball. To be able to experience that a little bit here before we break off in the summer, that was definitely a… https://t.co/5ApVvcwGF8

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) June 7, 2023

Dallas coaches have raved about how Cooks has mentored the younger receivers. He has picked up a vast amount of knowledge since he’s caught passes from the likes of Drew Brees (who recommended him to the Cowboys) and Tom Brady. And as he flies down the field, his routes always are precise.

“Not only the speed, but I think he’s an exceptional route runner,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of Brandin Cooks. “He has a great understanding of routes and time clocks, and specifics of getting in and out of breaks.”

Cooks started working with quarterback Dak Prescott as soon as he arrived at Cowboys headquarters in Frisco. The two also worked out in Prescott’s big back yard, which he turned into a mini football field.

After a few OTAs under their belts, Prescott was growing accustomed to how Cooks runs.

“Real speed. Runs the same way every time,” Prescott told reporters. “I think that’s the most important thing. When you have speed like that, for him to be able to do it every play, every route, the start of every route, the cornerbacks, defense, they don’t know what they’re getting. It all looks the same.”