Hall of Fame
Cooks, Johnie
Johnie Cooks
- Induction:
- 1991
- Class:
- 1981
Johnie Cooks is one of the best football players to come through Mississippi State. Cooks played for the Bulldogs from 1977 to 1981, earning a hardship redshirt in 1979 after undergoing a season-ending knee surgery after playing just one game.
Cooks earned many honors during his time at MSU, including being the honorary captain of the 1981 Bulldogs. He helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever back-to-back bowl game appearances in 1980 and 1981, and led the team in a multitude of statistics in 1981 as well. He earned All-SEC honors three times and was named the Jackson Daily News Defensive Player of the Year in 1980; however, it was in 1981 that the accolades began piling up.
In 1981, he was named a preseason All-American for three agencies: Southern Living Magazine All-South Team, Birmingham News Preseason All-SEC, Sports Magazine “0 surefire Pros” Draft listing, and a handful of other preseason awards. 1981 Postseason looked the same with awards with Cooks earning consensus First Team All-America, Football News All-Bowl Game Team, MVP of the Hall of Fame Bowl, UPI SEC and Jackson Daily News Defensive Player of the Year, Atlanta Touchdown Club Defensive Lineman of the Year, finalist for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, third in balloting for the Nashville BANNER SEC Player of the Year, and participated in the Hula Bowl and Olympic Gold Bowl. He was also named the Jackson Touchdown Club and Central Mississippi National Football Foundation 1981 Mississippi College Amateur Football Player of the Year.
After his impactful senior season, Cooks was drafted by the Baltimore Colts second overall in the 1982 NFL draft. He spent 10 seasons in the NFL before finishing his career in 1991 with the Cleveland Browns.
Cooks returned to MSU as Assistant Athletic Director for Administration in 1992 under Larry Templeton for seven years. For many years, he ran and helped run many community programs in Starkville and was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Cooks earned many honors during his time at MSU, including being the honorary captain of the 1981 Bulldogs. He helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever back-to-back bowl game appearances in 1980 and 1981, and led the team in a multitude of statistics in 1981 as well. He earned All-SEC honors three times and was named the Jackson Daily News Defensive Player of the Year in 1980; however, it was in 1981 that the accolades began piling up.
In 1981, he was named a preseason All-American for three agencies: Southern Living Magazine All-South Team, Birmingham News Preseason All-SEC, Sports Magazine “0 surefire Pros” Draft listing, and a handful of other preseason awards. 1981 Postseason looked the same with awards with Cooks earning consensus First Team All-America, Football News All-Bowl Game Team, MVP of the Hall of Fame Bowl, UPI SEC and Jackson Daily News Defensive Player of the Year, Atlanta Touchdown Club Defensive Lineman of the Year, finalist for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, third in balloting for the Nashville BANNER SEC Player of the Year, and participated in the Hula Bowl and Olympic Gold Bowl. He was also named the Jackson Touchdown Club and Central Mississippi National Football Foundation 1981 Mississippi College Amateur Football Player of the Year.
After his impactful senior season, Cooks was drafted by the Baltimore Colts second overall in the 1982 NFL draft. He spent 10 seasons in the NFL before finishing his career in 1991 with the Cleveland Browns.
Cooks returned to MSU as Assistant Athletic Director for Administration in 1992 under Larry Templeton for seven years. For many years, he ran and helped run many community programs in Starkville and was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
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