Brian
Cole II.
Brian
Cole II.
Mississippi St.· 6'2"· 213 lb· 4.52s 40
"Minnesota drafted Mississippi State's converted receiver at No. 249, and after never playing an NFL game he found a long professional career as a linebacker in the Canadian Football League."Pre-draft read
Cole was a hybrid safety and linebacker in Mississippi State's defense, a 6-2, 213-pound former receiver who took a winding route through Michigan and junior college. His primary trait was physicality near the line: he played downhill from the box, fought through blocks and made 67 tackles, 7.5 for loss and two sacks as a senior starter.
His secondary trait was athletic range from his receiver background, letting him run with tight ends and backs. His coverage instincts were still developing because he only switched to defense in 2016. His signature was a senior season in which he led Mississippi State defensive backs in sacks.
Multiple-front defense that uses a big hybrid safety near the line to support the run and match tight ends.
Year 1: special teams player and developmental box safety. Ceiling: hybrid safety-linebacker in sub packages.
Single-high scheme that asks its safety to cover deep middle and play the ball with polished instincts.
His physicality fit best near the line and on coverage units.
Brian Cole II College Highlights | Minnesota Vikings 2020 NFL Draft Pick
His Mississippi State career before the draft.
Mississippi State Football: Brian Cole II Feature
Feature on his path from Michigan to Starkville.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Brian Cole 2024 Regular Season Highlights
His CFL career as a linebacker.
Cole projected as a raw, athletic box defender whose late switch to defense and injury history made him a developmental late-round safety and special teams candidate. Evaluators liked his size, physicality and versatility, but questioned his instincts in coverage and his limited experience.
He played three games at Michigan as a receiver in 2015, then moved to defense at East Mississippi Community College, making 54 tackles, three forced fumbles and three blocked kicks in 2016. After an academic redshirt at Mississippi State, a torn pectoral muscle ended his 2018 season after five games. As a senior he started 12 games in a hybrid safety-linebacker role, making 67 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and two pass breakups. The flags were his short résumé on defense, raw coverage skills and injury history.
Most boards viewed him as a late-round or undrafted developmental box safety. Minnesota took him at No. 249 for his athleticism and special teams value.
- 01
Physicality
Played downhill from the box and fought through blocks, making 67 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss as a senior.
- 02
Blitz production
Led Mississippi State defensive backs with two sacks in 2019 and added a sack in his injury-shortened 2018.
- 03
Size and athleticism
At 6-2 and 213 pounds with a receiver's background, he had the frame and movement for a hybrid role.
- 04
Special teams value
Blocked three kicks at East Mississippi, showing the effort and length that translate to coverage units.
- 05
Versatility
Played safety and linebacker in a hybrid role, matching up with tight ends and backs in sub packages.
- 01
Late switch to defense
Only moved to defense in 2016, leaving his instincts and reads behind most senior defensive backs.
- 02
Raw coverage skills
Recorded two career pass breakups at Mississippi State, limited evidence he could handle man coverage.
- 03
Injury history
Tore a pectoral muscle five games into 2018, costing him most of his first season of SEC action.
- 04
Short résumé
Started only one full season at the FBS level, giving scouts little tape against top competition.
— — — positional median (p50)
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- 4.52sp50
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- Shuttle
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| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Mississippi State | 5 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Mississippi State | 12 | 67 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Career | — | 17 | 78 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
FBS season and career totals are from Sports-Reference and cover Mississippi State only; the Vikings list his 2019 as 67 tackles, 7.5 TFL, two sacks, one interception and two passes defensed. He played two games at Michigan as a receiver in 2015 with no defensive stats. His 2016 junior college season (54 tackles, three forced fumbles) is excluded from FBS totals.
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
The realized outcome: NFL practice squads, then a CFL linebacker career.
Physical box safety who earned a role as a starter and special teamer.
Late-round defensive back who never cracked an NFL roster.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Cole was released by Minnesota before the 2020 season and spent 2020 and 2021 on Miami's practice squad, followed by a stint with Carolina in 2021, without appearing in a regular-season NFL game. He moved to the CFL in 2022 and became a linebacker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 2022 to 2024, then played for Hamilton in 2025 and signed with Ottawa for 2026.
In hindsight the pick returned no NFL value, though his athleticism kept him on practice squads for two seasons. The raw coverage skills and short defensive résumé flagged before the draft made it hard to earn a roster spot, and he never got a regular-season snap. His move to Canada turned into a lasting professional career, where his physicality near the line fit as a linebacker in a way it never did in the NFL. For a player who restarted his career in junior college, reaching the draft and building a decade in pro football was a real achievement.