Jamel Cook flips to USC from Florida State on Signing Day

Four-star safety Jamel Cook flipped from Florida State to USC on Signing Day, adding one of the nation’s top safeties to the Trojans 2016 class.

Miami Central safety Jamel Cook flipped his Florida State commitment to USC on Signing Day, just days after visiting Los Angeles.

That makes him the 14th commit for USC in the class of 2016. Here’s a look at the new Trojan:

Jamel Cook | Safety

Height: 6-4  Weight: 190

Scout’s Take: Taller than most defensive backs at 6-foot-4 — USC’s tallest is Ykili Ross at 6-foot-2 — Cook is a unique prospect at the position who is athletic enough to fill several roles on the football field.

Coverage instincts and quickness have helped him become a top prospect on defense. Great hands and ball skills have some believing he could be a wide receiver at the college level, but those skills certainly come in handy at safety as well.

Cook is one of the highest rated safeties in the 2016 class with Scout and ESPN ranking him 3rd at the position. 247Sports agrees with that ranking, but as an athlete rather than safety. Rivals is the only service with doubts about Cook’s place in the class. He is a three-star by their measure and the 25th ranked athlete available.

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• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

Impact: Even though Serra safety C.J. Pollard is already on campus, the Trojans still require reinforcements at defensive back. Injuries at the position were a major problem in 2015 and bringing in another well-developed prospect will help provide a nice safety blanket, pardon the pun.

Given Pollard’s head start, as well as the development of Marvell Tell and Ykili Ross, it’s hard to project Cook as an instant contributor, but the way injuries have hit over the last two years it would be unwise to count him out.

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