Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

Entering his 14th season at Oregon State, Mike Riley is the dean of coaches in the Pacific-12 Conference. He coached the San Diego Chargers from 1999 to 2001 and served one season on Jim Haslett's staff with the New Orleans Saints in 2002. Riley's program has produced several NFL standouts in recent years, including Falcons running back Steven Jackson and Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner. New Orleans Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis and linebacker Victor Butler also played for Riley at Oregon State. The man knows NFL talent, and he thinks the Saints landed a future star in former Beavers wide receiver Brandin Cooks. I caught up with Riley on Friday morning and asked him for a scouting report on the newest New Orleans Saint. Here's our conversation:

Q: What can you tell Saints fans about Brandin Cooks?

Riley: "He's a really, really good player, and if you can believe it, an even better person. His work ethic is at the highest level. His character is at the highest level. And of course, his talent speaks for itself. He is big-time."

Q: What did you think about him going to the Saints?

Riley: "I'm really excited for him to go to New Orleans. I know Drew Brees is a worker and likes to surround himself with workers. And that's what he's got in Brandin Cooks. I think Sean (Payton) has a vision for him as a player and how he's going to use him. That's the key to good coaching. I think it's a great fit."

Q: Sean Payton said he was as impressed with Cooks' intangible assets as he was his tangible ones. I assume that's something you saw in him at Oregon State?

Riley: "He is really competitive. I mean, really competitive. Now, he's a great person and he's going to be a great spokesperson for the organization, but deep down he is a competitor. It shows through in the work he does. He's always going the extra mile in everything he does. He'll be an immediate pro. He'll always be on time, and they'll never have any trouble with him. They'll love him down there."

Q: He's compared often to (former Carolina Panthers receiver) Steve Smith. Do you see that as a valid comparison?

Riley: I haven't seen much of Steve Smith, to be honest. But from the reputation he has, the competitiveness, the playmaking ability, I'd say it's a good comparison.

Read more: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time' | NOLA.com

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I hereby decree that anyone who dislikes this Brandin Cooks pick is a loser, but not just any loser, but an exceptional loser.

And not just the run of the mill exceptional loser, but the exceptional loser that actually transcends the essence of losing and catapults losing into a realm of exceptional that spreads the aura of exceptional losing onto any and all losers within several nearby galaxies.

Other losers are actually jealous and intimidated by the sheer awesomeness of their loserabilty.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I was a little bitter I didn't get my guy at first, but now I'm full steam ahead on the Brandin Cooks bandwagon. He's going to be fun to watch.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

That is one of the funniest things Ive read in a long time! I giggled at that s**t 5 minutes after I read it!I let one of my friends read it and he laughed his a** off! Well done!

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

Looks like the guy we want will be there in the 4th round since we didn't try to move up into the 3rd.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

Riley: "He's a really, really good player, and if you can believe it, an even better person. His work ethic is at the highest level. His character is at the highest level. And of course, his talent speaks for itself. He is big-time."

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

i want to see what happens when he get laid out by an NFL LB. i love the kid but that worries me. can he handle the pounding.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I don't!

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

They gotsta catch him first. Then he still might break their ankles.

Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is bi...
 

Sorry bro, I'm going to call people out on this one because I'm not understanding the rhyme or reason.. Please splain it to me?

Are you just listening to scouts?

Brandin Cooks 5'10" 185 lbs

DeSean Jackson 5'10" 175lbs!
Wes Welker 5'9" 185 lbs
Danny Amendola 5'11" 188lbs

I can keep going.....

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I like cooks but i would liked 91st pick also saints had some good players they could have picked from to get a good player at 91 with that pick.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

He is growing on me more minute by minute.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I see this argument a lot. I simply do not think that it is as universal as people seem to make it.

A team that's in the playoffs on a regular basis, and in the NFC final 4 last season doesn't have so many holes that stockpiling players is the primary goal of the draft.

Cooks has all of the makings of taking the lid off the offense. He has the potential to be transformative in a very short amount of time. He fills the roles that Henderson and Sproles have played over the last 3 years or so.

Both Payton and Loomis made it clear this was the guy that they wanted. It's not difficult to see how he's going to draw fire away from the rest of the playmakers on the Saints offense opening up a ton of opportunities for Colston, Stills, JG, and the running backs.

It was clear Cooks wasn't going to be available at 27. At this point Payton having the guy he wanted who is by all accounts an exceptional talent and worker is worth exponentially more than having two very good players that don't exactly fit the need and with both not likely making the field for significant impact.

SFIAH

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

Thats what she said...

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

I agree with this. I'm trying not to sound like a homer here, but our team just doesn't have very many wholes right now. We can afford to give up a 3rd round pick in favor of somebody who could potentially put our offense over the top.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

They're gonna have to catch him first.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is bi...
 

call me out. i understand the pick and accept the pick.

I am not going to ignore the risk with the pick. tall WR have their risks as do shorter WR.

If he turns out to be a healthy work horse like Darrin then you have the home run. till then i am not going to be burring my head in the sand.

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is big-time'
 

Huh uh!

Re: Oregon State coach Mike Riley on New Orleans Saints' Brandin Cooks: 'He is bi...
 

So what your saying is that the NFL is dangerous and all players run the risk of injury regardless of size? And it might be silly to think that little 5'10" 189lb Brandin Cooks could stay as healthy as big ole 6'6" 265 lb Rob Gronkowski or 6' 225 LB Chris Ivory?