The Big 15: Laser Focused
About the Series: The Big 15 is the annual list of top Southwest Florida college football recruits selected by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. The players selected are from Lee and Collier counties and are ranked based on hard scholarship offers, the level of the schools making the offers, and those who possess the potential to receive attention from Power Four programs.
This year’s theme of “Laser Focused” represents The Big 15 athletes’ play on the field, as well as on achieving their goal to play in college and of course their work in front of our cameras. To capture their portraits, we posed each athlete in front of a laser projector, with small speed lights on tripods on both sides and a smoke machine. We’d like to thank Fort Myers High and Community School of Naples for providing us with space in their facilities to take the photos.
No. 15 Cole Cooke
Position: Offensive tackle
School: Riverdale
Rating: 3-star (247Sports, On3), NR (ESPN, Rivals). Ranked as the 93rd-best offensive tackle in the 2025 class by On3.
Commitment: FAU
Best Offers: UCF, Western Kentucky, FAU
Measurables: 6-8, 315 pounds
Grade: Senior
Cooke makes his second appearance in The Big 15, having been No. 14 last year, and only started playing football as a freshman, but his size and increased strength help him stand out along the Riverdale line. Last season he helped make the Raiders one of the best rushing attacks in the state. As a team, Riverdale went for 2,579 rushing touchdowns and 20 rushing scores.
Cooke, who committed to Florida Atlantic in June, also played on the defensive line and made 21 tackles (15 solo), five TFLs, and a sack in 2023.
Question: What makes you one of the best college football prospects in Southwest Florida?
It’s my size and aggression towards the game.
What are you looking for in a college and is that why you chose FAU?
Just everybody that bonded together and had a great family-orientated team and hustled.
They had what I was looking for in college, they had exactly that family-orientated team and all that. The coaches are always talking to me, and they always have the best for me.
What has your recruiting process been like?
It’s been long and slow, but it’s just been a fun thing to go through.
What’s the football journey been like for you up to this point?
It’s been crazy because I only started football in freshman year. So it’s like, everything’s happened so fast, but it’s a great journey.
What part of your game has improved the most since last season?
Definitely like the bend and footwork, getting low and all that. I’ve been doing footwork training at home, doing ladders and all that.
What’s the game you have circled on the schedule?
There’s a couple but I think Fort Myers would be a great game to have a good win over. Just we’ve always had a rivalry with them, but it’s just like, we just don’t like them.
What’s your outlook for Riverdale this season?
Summer workouts have been really good for us. We have a lot of potential, a lot of young people, a lot of good talent on the team. So I mean, a bunch of returners are coming back that were young. They learned a bunch last year and now it’s gonna show it this year.
No. 14 Madrid Tucker
Position: Athlete
School: Fort Myers
Rating: 3-star (Rivals), NR (247Sports, ESPN, On3)
Commitment: None
Best Offers: Pitt, USF, UCF, Navy
Measurables: 5-11, 160 pounds
Grade: Senior
To watch Tucker play ball – whether that’s football or baseball – is to know what kind of electric playmaker he has been for the Green Wave. The son of former MLB player Michael Tucker is seeking to continue to play both sports at the next level.
Tucker’s undeniable athleticism, confidence, and big-play ability secured a second consecutive appearance on the Big 15. Last season, he piled up more than 1,100 all-purpose yards with 17 touchdowns while locking down opposing receivers on defense.
What makes you one of the best prospects in Southwest Florida?
Not to sound cocky, but I have a lot of confidence. So kind of self-explanatory, but you get the ball in my hands, I’m going to do the best I can to score. You got to put your best DB on me, and on the defensive side, I’m going to be on your best wide receiver, one way or another.
What are you looking for in a college?
A place I can call home, a place that’s more than just sports. It’s more like a life and sports, like I can come to you if I’m having a bad day, I can have a real talk with the coach – not just football, more like a family.
What has the recruiting process been like?
It was really picking up during the spring. I got a lot of contacts, got more information. Then, as the summer went on it kind of slowed down because that’s when I transition to baseball, so it’s like they kind of don’t know which one I’m going for right now, so it kind of slowed down a little bit.
How do you balance your plans to play both sports at the next level?
Personally, for me, it’s easy because I know I want to definitely play both in college, but for coaches it’s kind of weird because they don’t know which one I’m going to pick so they’re kind of iffy about if they should go for me or if they shouldn’t.
How would you describe your journey in football?
Football’s definitely my first love. Everybody knows my dad played in the MLB, so they always think ‘Oh, you’re just going to be a baseball player,’ but my first love was definitely football right when I got into it. I have an older brother (Milan), so he kind of pushed me. My goal was definitely be better than him…
The News-Press
