Cook did look like he would be an impact player for the Orange based on scrimmages in the lead-up to the 2020 season. Against Denver he had a hat trick in fall of 2019. In the spring he combined for five goals against Hofstra and Vermont. Against Yale he had three goals and three assists in the last tuneup before the season. So in four games, he totaled 11 goals and 3 assists. Impressive! But I guess that is why they are called scrimmages. I didn't see any footage from these scrimmages (maybe a few clips from a LaxFactor video), so I have no idea how he scored his goals, but the numbers were still promising.
That 2020 season he had five goals and four assists in five games, which isn't bad but I think we were all expecting more. I am not sure why he couldn't translate the scrimmage success over into the regular season. Some easy shots he missed, and that could have drained his confidence. Maybe as the season wore on he would have had a "breakthrough" but of course we know the season was cut short. It had to be hard to fit in on a team like that when you are clearly the sixth option and almost everyone else earned All American honors. But you've got to make your moments count.
In 2021 of course he was benched after the Army game for Owen Hiltz, which was of course the right move. Hindsight is always 20/20 but I think the flip flopping from position to position probably hasn't helped him. The coaches definitely tried, it wasn't just offensive midfield he was moved to, he took runs on the face-off wing and was even a d-middie for some runs, though I don't think that was ever a good idea given his size. His greatest attribute has been his riding ability (seriously, he's amazing at it), but you need more than that to be a starting attackman in the ACC.
This team desperately needs offensive depth, but I don't think Cook is the guy to provide it. Anything is possible (who would have thought Seebold would be a starting attackman by the end of last season?) so hopefully if his opportunity comes, he's ready.