Cooke attended and played high school football at Columbia Academy.[2] He received offers from Southern Miss and Mississippi State before ultimately choosing to attended Mississippi State.[3]
College career
Cooke played for Mississippi State from 2014 to 2017. He recorded 150 punts for 6,250 net yards for a 41.7 average.[4]
Cooke was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round (247th overall) in the 2018 NFL draft.[6] He made his NFL debut in the Jaguars' season opener against the New York Giants. In the 20–15 victory, he had seven punts for 264 net yards.[7] Overall, he finished his rookie season with 86 punts for 3,872 net yards for a 45.02 average.[8]
In the 2019 season, Cooke punted 75 times with a 46.76 average.[9] Cooke was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Jaguars on December 21, 2020,[10] and activated on December 31.[11] In the 2020 season, Cooke punted 56 times with a 47.66 average.[12]
On March 20, 2021, Cooke signed a four-year, $12 million contract extension with the Jaguars.[13] In the 2021 season, Cooke punted 64 times for a 47.28 average.[14] In the 2022 season, Cooke punted 58 times for a 49.34 average.[15] In the 2023 season, he punted 61 times for 2,893 yards for a 47.43 average.[16] In the 2024 season, he punted 68 times for 3,359 yards for a 49.4 average, and finished second in the league for net yards per punt (44.8).[17][18] He earned his first Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro nomination for his performance.[19]
