Ryan Cook

Games and Starts

22 games/19 starts

Professional Biography

Versatile and big-framed lineman who will work at multiple positions along the line..Capable of playing G and T positions after spending his college career in the middle of the line...Can single-handedly provide Vikings with depth at several spots...The 2nd C drafted in 2006 after Nick Mangold, #29 overall by NY Jets...Was among 12 players drafted from Mountain West Conference in 2006.

NFL History

•    Big part of the Vikings ranking #1 in the NFL in rushing offense for only the 2nd time in Vikings history and jumping from #23 in 2006 in NFL offense to #13 in 2007.
•    Helped set a Vikings record with 2,634 rushing yards and a team-record 5.33 yards per carry in 2007.
•    Helped Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor set a new Vikings record for most combined rushing yards in a season by a duo.
•    Helped pave the way for the Vikings to tie a team record with 8 games with a 100-yard rusher in 2007.
•    Helped pave the way for rookie Adrian Peterson to set an NFL record with 296 rushing yards vs. San Diego (11/4) and break the 1,000-yard plateau for the season in the 8th game of 2007. The Vikings set a new team record with 378 rushing yards in the game.
•    Helped open holes for Adrian Peterson to set a then-Vikings record with 224 rushing yards @ Chicago (10/14) and notch 311 rushing yards as a team.

College Information

COLLEGE Former walk-on is a classic success story due to hard work and attitude...Moved into starting lineup as a redshirt freshman and dominated the interior of the line for the next 3 seasons...Played in 49 career games and started the final 44 straight...Named 1st-Team All-Mountain West Conference as a sophomore, junior and senior, the only New Mexico C to earn 3 honors...Tabbed as a 3rd-team All-America by The NFL Draft Report after junior season...Joined WR Hank Baskett representing UNM at the Senior Bowl, the only time in school history with 2 Lobos in the all-star game...Part of the rebuilding of the New Mexico football program under head coach Rocky Long, going 28-22 from 2002-05 and never enduring a losing season...The Lobos were 3-9 in Long’s 1st season in 1998 and with Cook at C helped lead the team to 3 consecutive bowl appearances, facing UCLA in the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl, Oregon State in the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl and Navy in the 2004 Emerald Bowl...Helped pave the way for RB DonTrell Moore to set the UNM career rushing mark and join elite company in college football history by rushing for 1,000+ yards in 4 straight seasons...Offensive linemate at UNM with St. Louis Rams G Claude Terrell.

2005 Started all 11 games and earned 3rd straight 1st-Team All-MWC honors as team went 6-5...Opened holes for Moore to run for 1,363 yards and 14 TDs, become the 1st Lobo to earn earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and become the 1st UNM or Mountain West player to earn 1st-Team All-MWC in 4 straight years...Moore averaged 118.0 yards per game rushing and went over the 100-yard mark 7 times in 11 games, including a season-high 181 at Wyoming...QB Kole McKamey ran for 100 yards in another game, giving the Lobos a 100-yard rusher in 8 of 11 games...The Lobo offense also featured Baskett, who hauled in 1,071 yards receiving to give UNM the 1st-ever 1,000-yard rusher/receiver combo in school history...The Lobos upset Missouri on the road 45-35 to beat a Big 12 opponent on the road for the 1st time since 1983...The Lobo line protected UNM QBs as they completed 60% of their passes.

2004 Earned 1st-Team All-MWC recognition for the 2nd straight season...Helped Lobos to a 7-5 record, winning at least 7 games for a school-record 3rd straight season...Team finished as MWC runner-up for the 3rd consecutive year...Paved the way for Moore to run for 1,091 yards, his 3rd straight 1,000-yard performance...Faced Navy in the Emerald Bowl, New Mexico’s 3rd straight bowl appearance, in San Francisco...Part of a Lobo rushing attack at New Mexico State that ground out 321 rushing yards on 62 attempts.

2003 Earned 1st-Team All-MWC honors in his 1st season as a full-time starter for the 8-5 Lobos as they finished 2nd in the MWC...The 8 wins were the most by UNM since 9-4 mark in 1997...Faced Oregon State in Las Vegas Bowl, the 2nd straight appearance in the game...Helped pave the way for Moore’s career-high 242 rushing yards vs. Colorado State...Moore set a school record with 1,450 yards on the ground and ran for 21 TDs...UNM led MWC with 30.1 points per game and averaged 227 yards rushing per game.


2002 Burst onto the scene and established himself as the anchor of the Lobo line, a spot he would hold for the next 3 seasons...Stepped into starting lineup for 8 games... Made 1st career start at UNLV...Recovered from foot injury and battled back from it to step into starting job.

2001 Redshirted as a true freshman.

Personal Biography

Younger brother, Erik, is entering his sophomore season as an offensive lineman at New Mexico...Majored in business management at UNM...Career aspirations are to be an entrepreneur following football…A 2nd-Team All-State and 1st-team all-city choice as a senior and 2nd-team as a junior...Played in New Mexico North/South All-Star Game as a senior...Lettered 3 times.