COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State offensive line commit Jake Cook was faced with a decision early on in his senior season.
Sit out and rehab an ankle injury that could only heal with time, or play through the pain.
The Westerville North product chose the latter.
Cook, the No. 450 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings in the 2025 class, committed to Ohio State over the summer. And through all of his senior season, he was out to prove that he belonged with the Buckeyes, even if that meant playing at less than 100% for nearly the entirety of his final season of high school football.
“This year, the best way to describe it, it’s kind of like a mental challenge,” Cook said. “Week two, suffering a bad ankle injury and then playing on it the rest of the season. It’s been a great year. It’s showed me what I’m capable of, what I can play through, and then just with this team, with this coaching staff, the things we did put together with these guys, I wouldn’t ask for anything else.”
Cook originally committed to Louisville in February, but continued to attend recruiting camps in the hopes of getting better, along with earning more offers — specifically, one from Ohio State.
Then after a strong showing at a June recruiting camp in Columbus, he earned an offer from offensive line coach Justin Frye. He publicly decommitted from Louisville a few days later, and a few days after that, pledged to Ohio State.
This year, he says, was about proving he belonged, and handling the pressure of being an Ohio State commit.
“Oh, it’s extremely nice to be in that situation,” Cook said. “I mean, but if there’s one thing that does come with that though, is there is a lot of pressure. Pressure is a privilege. Coach Day always says that. So that’s kind of how I’ve taken it. Each Friday night, everybody knows the guy who’s going to Ohio State.”
Cook, who is set to play center at Ohio State, has moved around on the offensive line this season to give himself reps at the interior positions, but also to help out his offense in whatever matchups they need him in.
His coach, Stanley Jackson, also played at Ohio State and knows exactly what Cook is set to go through in just a few months. But also, what he’s been battling through in his senior season.
“Elite toughness,” Jackson told Cleveland.com of his standout offensive lineman. “High ankle sprains are tough to get through. Most guys sit out six weeks with those. We forced him to not play (Week 10)…But he showed it elite toughness in his leadership. Jake’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. When we came in, he was a little overweight, didn’t move well, and he just did everything we’ve asked him to do and that’s why he’s in the position he is. So I’m just really impressed with him as the level of work ethic, his commitment to this.”
Jackson noted the mental growth from Cook in his senior season, not only in the film room — where he says they approach it as if they’re a college program — but in the way he approached a leadership role, too. And considering Jackson’s experiences, it was helpful for Cook to learn firsthand what he’s about to go through in Columbus.
“I know what he’s getting into,” Jackson said. “So I’ve been able to say, ‘Hey Jake, you have to understand you’re going to another world, everything that you’ve experienced is about to be nothing, so you have to be ready for that.’ Because a lot of times what happens is it kids are really good in high school, and you end up there and everybody’s good as you or better and you can get discouraged. So I said, ‘Don’t be discouraged when you have early season or early career setbacks, because you’re supposed to. Because those guys that have been in that program, they’re all three and four and five-stars like you.’ And so just preparing him immensely for what that stage is going to be like.”
Cook has done that prep work as much as he can, getting texts from Frye about technique throughout the season to help ready him for the jump to Big Ten football. He’s set to early enroll in January, meaning that time is running down on his high school life.
“I mean, you get all this stuff about him and recruiting, I mean, that’s whatever, what he is doing with that O-line on the field, how they’re going about it and just doing everything — that’s what really matters to me,” Cook said. “I know that development is there and then when I step in I can learn from the guys (already there).”
Cook is doing his part to recruit some fellow offensive linemen in the 2025 class, including Micah DeBose and Damola Ajidahun. Both of those prospects are committed elsewhere at the moment. But like Cook’s situation, he’s doing what he can to help bolster the Buckeyes’ class if it means adding from other programs.
In the meantime, Cook’s been getting advice on what it’s like to be a Buckeye from his coaching staff — even if a few pieces of advice are unorthodox.
Jackson cracked that, before he went to Ohio State, he was told by his coach (who also played at Ohio State) that he had to use the bathroom before he ran down the tunnel, because there wouldn’t be another chance to do so.
“So I’m telling Jake, ‘So make sure before you run out the tunnel first time, make sure you use the bathroom so you don’t pee yourself,’” Jackson said, laughing. “Because the energy that you get coming of the tunnel, it’s second to none. It can’t be replaced or replicated. Ohio State is a special place and I just want him to enjoy every moment. At the end of the day, I told him, ‘Jake, just make sure you’re going to a place where you’re going to enjoy it.’ Because a lot of times it becomes a business. Coaches are getting paid a lot of money, there’s a lot of pressure around it, and it’s easy not to enjoy those moments and what you’re doing is special. So enjoy every moment because it’s second to none.”