Nation’s leading rusher Cam Cook is leaving Jacksonville State and entering the transfer portal, according to a report by CBS Sports on Wednesday afternoon.
Cook’s agency, The Familie, told CBS Sports of his intentions for the 2026 season. The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2. Cook started his college career at TCU and blossomed into an All-American in Conference USA at Jacksonville State.
He was a terror to tackle in 2025 and currently tops the FBS rushing list with 1,659 yards, with Mizzou star Ahmad Hardy right behind Cook with 1,560 yards on the ground going into his bowl game. Speaking of bowl games, Cook did not play in Jacksonville State’s victory over Troy last week in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
As it turns out, Cook’s final game at Jacksonville State was in the Gamecocks’ loss to Kennesaw State in the Conference USA title game on Dec. 5.
Cook was held to 78 yards on 19 carries in the conference title game loss, only the 3rd time all season that he was held under 100 yards rushing. He still registered a whopping 10 100-yard rushing games this fall on the way to topping the FBS rushing charts as the college football bowl season hits Christmas.
He had a knack for getting in the end zone, too, ranking 4th nationally with 16 rushing touchdowns.
Now, after a remarkable 2025 season, it appears that Cook is heading elsewhere to continue his surge in 2026.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
