By Tucker Bagley, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
Dalvin Cook's name was on the tip of everyone's tongue during the beginning of the pre-draft process, but his stock has seemed to fall in recent weeks.
Once viewed as the top running back in the class, both Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey have leap-frogged Cook after the Florida State product's lackluster showing at the NFL Combine, analysts view him as a distant third in the top trio of 'backs.
However, when speaking on WIP, Cook seemed fairly confident there is mutual interest between himself and the Philadelphia Eagles.
"They’ve been showing heavy interest in me and I loved the city when I went there," Cook told afternoon hosts Chris Carlin and Ike Reese. "I met with everybody, it’s a great organization, great people. I think the program is on the rise. They just need a couple more guys to fill in and help the program. I like the organization overall and the people that’s in the building."
In college, Cook was known for his ability to catch balls out of the backfield and utilize his shiftiness to create mismatches in the open field. Unlike Fournette, Cook isn't a downhill runner who punishes tacklers, but instead makes guys miss like LeSean McCoy or Jamaal Charles.
Doug Pederson certainly has a history with both of those running backs, coaching McCoy in his first stint with the Eagles and Charles during his time as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. Both players had a lot of success playing for Pederson and adding Cook in the draft could give the second-year head coach a versatile weapon in the backfield.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlien wrote had high praise for Cook on his NFL.com draft page:
Very talented runner with outstanding balance, footwork and burst. Cook lacks the power that you may find with some running backs in this year's draft, but he is a home run hitter with a resume featuring monster games against his most highly regarded opponents. Cook creates for himself with elusiveness and speed, but his value could be diminished by injuries, character and issues in pass protection.
The Eagles have not been weary of giving players second chances. They will certainly do their homework on Cook, but if he checks out, they won't think twice about picking him in the first round. As for his issues in pass protection, the Eagles could use Wendell Smallwood or Darren Sproles in blocking situations while Cook learns to be more reliable.
Cook was a three-year starter at Florida State, rushing for 1,691 yards in 2015 and 1,765 yards in 2016. He has the talent and pedigree to be worthy of a first round pick, but his poor showing at the combine will weigh down his draft stock. The Eagles' decision on Cook could tell us a lot about their draft philosophy. Do they value film and production? Or will they be scared off by poor measurables and combine numbers?
Either way, Cook's comments should be taken with a grain of salt. The Eagles are certainly showing interest in a lot of prospects and Cook could be just one of many players who have been told they are in play at 14 for the Birds.
Certainly it isn't time to rush out and buy a Dalvin Cook jersey just yet, but it is clear his name has not been removed from consideration.
