The NFL draft is happening and it’s probably going to come and go without involving Darwin Cook. That doesn’t mean the occasion doesn’t matter to him, or that he’s not worthy of  spot or at least a shot.

And it surely doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have talked to him for one more story and one more chance to get the extremely quotable safety on the record with something fantastic.

He did not disappoint, even though he was on a pair of disappointing defenses that will more or less attach themselves to wherever he ends up this weekend.

“When you suck,” Cook said, “you’re not going to get picked.”

His choice of words is strong, but where the defense ranked the past two seasons and how minimal the numerical improvements were this past season stand to serve as support.

And so does the contrary.

“If we would have went to the national championship the (last) year Geno was here, everyone would have left,” Cook said. “It’s all about winning. If you win, you’re going to get drafted. If you lose and play bad, you’ve got work to do.”

More Cook? More Cook! Let’s empty the notepad.

On what happens next: “I just know when I get to training camp and I get somebody, if they’re not getting a big contract, I’m laying them out. If you’re not first-team or second-team, if you’re on the practice squad, I feel bad for you.”

On his music selection during pro day: “I had my playlist going. I’ve got all types of Rick Ross and Beethoven. It calms me down and keeps me going at the same time.”

On receiving no invitations to all-star games or the combine: “Hell yeah it bothers me. You know it bothers me. I feel like I’m a good player. I feel like I’m a great player. I guess they don’t feel the same way.”

On 2014: “I thought I had a great season. I blocked (a groin injury) out and played hard. You couldn’t tell my groin was hurting. I blocked it out and went all for it. Then something happened. That’s just the way I played. Hey, if my body gets messed up, so be it. That’s my calling. You don’t know when your last play is going to be.”

On moving to the Big 12: “I haven’t really gotten beaten by nobody in the Big 12. Me personally, nobody took me deep or lost me. I feel like it wasn’t a big difference, really.”

On perception: “Imagine if I went to Alabama and I made the Orange Bowl play. I wouldn’t have had to make no more plays the rest of my life and I would have went in the first round.”

On legacy: “You see that? That’s me right there. (Points to Orange Bowl banner.) You see, when I come in here, I’m like, ‘That’s me.’ I feel like I was a big part of that.”

On his real legacy: “My biggest accomplishment is fighting back, coming back my senior season focused, totally different person, totally different leader, totally different attitude. The way I changed my life that fast, that’s my accomplishment. That’s why I’m going to keep rising.”