Revisiting James Cook's college career: How Bills RB starred at Georgia before jump to NFL

Revisiting James Cook's college career: How Bills RB starred at Georgia before jump to NFL originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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• Where did James Cook go to college?
• James Cook college stats
• James Cook Georgia highlights
• James Cook NFL draft

Before James Cook became one of the NFL's elite running backs, he was part of a national championship-winning team at a college football powerhouse: the Georgia Bulldogs.

Cook, who played for Georgia from 2018 to 2021, was a dynamic component of the Bulldogs' vaunted backfield. His college career culminated in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, where Georgia defeated Alabama to claim their first title since 1980.

Cook, the star running back, has had an electric NFL career ever since making the step to the pros, where his versatility and speed have translated perfectly. In 2024, he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (16, tying a Bills franchise record set by O.J. Simpson in 1975) and earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nomination, solidifying his reputation as one of the league's most complete and dangerous running backs.

Let's revisit his Georgia career as Cook continues to become a household name in the NFL.

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Where did James Cook go to college?

James Cook played college football for Georgia from 2018 to 2021, arriving as a highly-rated recruit from Miami Central Senior High School. While at Georgia, he was an explosive and versatile part of the team's running back rotation, earning a reputation for his ability to contribute significantly in both the running and passing games. 

Cook's production increased steadily each year, with his senior season being his most prolific. During that championship season, Cook finished with a career-high 728 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, along with 284 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns, totaling over 1,000 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns for the year. He was particularly explosive in the CFP Orange Bowl semifinal, where he led the team with 112 receiving yards, including a crucial 39-yard touchdown reception.

He finished his time at Georgia with an impressive career average of 6.5 yards per rushing attempt. After the national championship, Cook declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round.

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James Cook college stats

Here's a look at James Cook's stats during his time with the Bulldogs.

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James Cook Georgia highlights

James Cook was one of the most electric players in college football throughout his time at Georgia.

James Cook took off to set up Georgia's TD 🏎️ pic.twitter.com/7uIGBbUUAB

— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2022

We are James cook Saturdays away from Georgia football. pic.twitter.com/09ZlAzfpb1

— James Dukes. (@James_dukes12) August 2, 2025

"𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤'𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲? 𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠."

1️⃣0️⃣4️⃣ Rushing Yards
4️⃣3️⃣ Receiving Yards
3️⃣ Touchdowns

🔥🔥🔥 @thegreat__4#GoDawgspic.twitter.com/Qjmykx8G5T

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 17, 2021

.@GeorgiaFootball's James Cook finds the end zone for the first score of the game❗ pic.twitter.com/2fLCMDMGBK

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 16, 2021

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James Cook NFL draft 

James Cook entered the 2022 NFL Draft as one of the most explosive and versatile running back prospects in the class. The strongest aspect of Cook's draft profile was his receiving prowess, with many scouts labeling him the best pass-catching running back in the draft.

Despite his highly productive national championship season at Georgia, the main knock against Cook was his limited usage, having never surpassed 113 carries in a season. This small workload, combined with his sub-200-pound frame, led to projections that he would be most effective as a change-of-pace back in a committee.

The Buffalo Bills selected him in the second round with the 63rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has been one of Buffalo's most productive weapons ever since.

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