EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- A number of factors keep running backs from seeing the field much during their rookie season, and pass protection and ball security are two of the most common.

But those haven’t been an issue for Minnesota Vikings rookie Dalvin Cook. Coaches and players have gushed about Cook’s ability to understand and execute the playbook while blocking for his quarterback since the preseason. It’s one of the reasons it didn’t take long for Cook to win the starting job.

The Vikings rookie is second in the NFL in rushing through three weeks with 288 yards and second in carries with 61. Another rookie, Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt, leads the NFL with 401 yards.

Cook has made his transition to the NFL look easy, though his body probably says otherwise. His biggest challenge has been to quickly establish a routine to rebound from the hits he takes on Sundays.

“This thing rolls around fast,” Cook said. “I’ve got a game coming up on Sunday that you’ve got to get ready for and you just got done banging and going out there this past Sunday.

“At this level, things are more physical. You’ve got to take care of your body.”

Getting massages and spending time in the cold tub are staples of Cook’s recovery regimen. The rookie has benefited from advice he’s received from older players, like cornerback Xavier Rhodes, on how to expedite the recovery process and get his body back feeling right, which is invaluable information after what he put his body through in Week 3.

Of Cook’s 169 all-purpose yards (97 rushing, 72 receiving) against Tampa Bay, 84 yards came after contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Cook’s body bears the effects of dragging defenders downfield as he picks up extra yards, and it’s an area in which he takes pride -- one that benefits his team.

“The hole might be this big and he can get skinny and pick his feet up and accelerate through there,” Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said. “You don’t get a lot of clean shots on this guy. He’s got a lot of wiggle to him, acceleration. There was one play he kind of got through the line and the safety came up and he missed him. When he gets close to the goal line, he smells that and he’s trying to pump it in there. That’s what I like him the most.”

Preparing himself to play at a faster, more physical level involved a lot of preparation. According to Pro Football Focus, in 2016 Florida State tasked Cook with pass protection on 100 plays, in which he allowed two sacks and seven quarterback hurries.

Cook's reputation as a three-down back has earned him a lot of snaps and big assignments to protect his quarterback. Against the Buccaneers, Cook went head-to-head with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy -- who has a six-inch, 90-pound size advantage on the running back -- and won.

This specific play took place at the beginning of the second quarter. On second-and-8, Cook came out of the backfield, quickly picked up McCoy in protection and scooted him to the left of Case Keenum, giving the quarterback a clean pocket to connect with Stefon Diggs. The result was a 17-yard reception that moved the Vikings into Tampa Bay territory and set up the second touchdown of the game.

“That was my play of the game,” Cook said. “I saw him bust through, and I was like -- you’ve got to drop your weight down because he’s coming. I kind of got in the way a little bit, trying to get him off the spot so Case can have some room to throw the ball. Pass protection is all about will and wanting to get it done.”

Early on, Cook has added new elements to his preparation. After struggling to catch passes in Week 1 because the lights inside U.S. Bank Stadium caused him problems with tracking the ball, Cook and running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu switched up his pregame routine so he could catch more passes and familiarize himself with the environment.

From the time they start playing, running backs are taught to keep the football "high and tight" so they don’t fumble. Polamalu constantly reinforces the art of the so-called cross grip with his group, a technique in which the rusher crosses two hands over the football to keep it from slipping out.

None of the Vikings' past five rookie running backs (Jerick McKinnon, Zach Laine, Matt Asiata, Rhett Ellison and Ryan D’Imperio) fumbled the ball during their first year. Cook doesn’t want to be the first, so he’s made it a priority to master the art of how to hang onto the ball.

“That’s something I didn’t learn until I got to the NFL,” Cook said. “[Polamalu is] just enforcing, no matter what, you always hear ‘cross grip’ in practice and games. He’s going to make sure you keep it in the back of your mind so you don’t forget about it.”

Most notably, the speed of the game hasn’t appeared too fast for Cook, who credits his adjustment to the players he faces every day.

“When you go against a defense like ours every day in practice, they’re flying around, they’re disguising blitzes,” he said. “The game slows down a lot for you.”

While the defense can’t hit Cook in practice and won’t know what it’s like to tackle the extra-yard connoisseur, they know what makes Cook such a complete back and vital element to getting the entire offense going.

“He just keeps his legs going. Obviously he’s very strong,” linebacker Anthony Barr said. “In terms of how he breaks tackles, I wish I knew because I would be able to do it, too.”