How a Panthers rookie went from idolizing Shaq Thompson to starting in his NFL debut

Carolina Panthers rookie Alex Cook has been chasing Shaq Thompson since he was a youngster in Sacramento, California.

When Thompson was in high school, Cook was watching from afar as an elementary school student. When Thompson was developing into a standout defender at the University of Washington, Cook took notice and eventually joined the Huskies when it was his time to head off to college. And as Thompson racked up tackles in droves in Carolina, Cook followed the 2015 first-round pick’s Panthers tenure with great interest.

Now, though, Cook doesn’t need to watch Thompson on television or follow his press clippings. Their lockers are only a few dozen steps away from each other. Thompson — who met Cook for the first time in August during the preseason matchup between the Panthers and New York Giants — is now serving as a mentor to the rookie safety, as his hometown protege works in an injury depleted secondary.

“I remember watching Shaq when I was in elementary school, and he was playing in the state championship against Cal Poly,” Cook said Tuesday. “I remember that. I’ve always idolized that guy. And he was one of the first guys out of Sacramento, for me growing up until I got to high school, that was ‘that guy.’ Just to be teammates with him now is a crazy story.”

Cook’s NFL story, to this point, has been unique, if not inspiring.

Beyond teaming up with one of his childhood heroes — though Thompson has been sidelined on injured reserve since before Cook’s arrival — the rookie has been given a firsthand glimpse of the league’s whirlwind nature.

After going undrafted in April, Cook — who converted from wide receiver to defensive back in college — signed with the New York Giants and spent the summer battling for a roster spot in East Rutherford, N.J. While he didn’t make the Giants’ 53-man roster, the NFC East squad liked him enough to sign to the practice squad ahead of Week 1.

Cook played 16 total snaps against the Panthers in their exhibition matchup in August. When Carolina was hit with a rash of injuries in the secondary during the first two months of the season, Cook was on their radar.

The Panthers eventually signed Cook off the Giants’ practice squad during their Week 7 bye. Two weeks later, Cook made his NFL debut — as a starter — against the Indianapolis Colts.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound safety received a solid 66.0 grade from Pro Football Focus for his debut performance, as he racked up seven tackles (one for loss) in 61 defensive snaps. Cook never left the field on defense, despite his lack of experience in the system.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said Tuesday that he wasn’t surprised by Cook’s performance because of the way the rookie practices. Evero said Cook and backup cornerback Dicaprio Bootle are two of the team’s best practice players.

Cook also caught the attention of head coach Frank Reich for his performance against Indianapolis.

“Cook made some big plays,” Reich said Monday.

The debut against the Colts wasn’t perfect, as the Panthers lost, 27-13, but Cook was able to make an impression on the staff after arriving midway through the season.

Cook credits his childhood football hero, Thompson, with helping him prepare for the first meaningful game of his career.

“I came here, and he remembered me from the preseason, and I feel like I’ve known him my whole life,” Cook said. “He’s just been that kind of guy to me. He’s a linebacker but he’s been helping me at safety. Telling me what to look for and some tendencies, and just small stuff in the playbook and helping me a lot.”

Cook has also been helped by the other California connections in the locker room. Cook grew up with practice-squad cornerback Lamar Jackson, as the two played basketball together during their grade school years and trained for football together in high school.

Cook has also known fellow rookie, pass rusher DJ Johnson, since they were highly recruited high school football players in Sacramento. The two met at what Cook describes as a banquet game during their heydays in high school.

“He was obviously one of the most highly recruited guys in pretty much California history, and I was also one of the big recruits out of Sacramento, and when we met, we kind of knew what the vibe was,” Cook said. “It was like ‘Hey bro, you’re kind of him,’ and I’m kind of ‘him’ in our area, so let’s stay connected, and we did throughout college.”

Johnson, the Panthers’ third-round pick, originally went to the University of Miami before transferring to the University of Oregon, a Pac-12 rival of Cook’s alma mater. The pair kept in touch and would text each other some friendly trash talk before each rivalry game.

But now they’re teammates. They walk to practice together outside of Bank of America Stadium and exchange thoughts on the playbook. Cook credits his familiarity with Johnson and Jackson with helping him settle into his new team and new city.

“If you’ve got guys you’ve known for a while, it helps you get acclimated,” Cook said. “They can tell you small stuff like where to eat, where to live, and small stuff like that. And obviously, they can help me with the playbook, and just help me get acclimated that way, but those guys have just been helping me tremendously through the two weeks I’ve been here.”

Cook hasn’t had much time to explore Charlotte. The 24-year-old defensive back moved here last month with his girlfriend and 11-month-old son, and immediately dove into his playbook once he got his family settled in.

“It’s really been (like) drinking out of a fire hose,” Cook said. “Just a lot of learning, a lot of transitioning. It’s not so much the playbook, as people would assume — football is football — it’s just getting acclimated to a new environment, where I’ve moved my family down here, getting the house situated, getting them situated. I think that was one of the biggest challenges — balancing that and having to come to work and be on top of my game.”

And while he’s not likely to hang onto his starting role for very long with starting safeties Vonn Bell (quadriceps) and Xavier Woods (thigh) on the mend, Cook’s debut performance could lead to a long-term job as a contributor in Carolina.

Cook hasn’t been able to catch his breath since he arrived in town, so a sense of normalcy would be nice. But as he’s shown, he can adapt.

Said Cook: “It’s just (about) putting my head down, having some late nights and making sure I’m ready for the next day.”