Chris Whitaker
AMERICUS — When Keldrik Cochran was a freshman, he didn’t even want to play football.
“I wanted to get my grades right,” said Cochran. “I tried to do better at that and not get behind, or playing basketball or video games. It came down to pure laziness.”
But that didn’t last long as older brother talked Cochran into coming out for the team.
And now as he readies to finish his senior year, Cochran has turned an ordinary like for a game he has played since 10 into a passion, signing with Albany State on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day.
“I’m happy about it and ready to play,” said Cochran. “I feel very fortunate, but hard work pays off. I’m just happy with the results that came out to be.”
Cochran went from playing in spot situations last year at defensive end to starting at linebacker this season, finishing third in the region with 97 tackles and topping the list with 19 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
“He’s got long arms, and it’s hard to block him,” said former Panthers coach Mark Wilson. “He’s a good athlete that can run. He practices hard every day and don’t say a lot. He’s a gentle giant. But he gives full effort on every play and does everything you ask him to do.”
Cochran said his love for football was a “process.” It started out just as a game, but the more he was involved and the better he got, he wanted football to be a part of his future.
“Working hard every day, getting stronger and bigger, I just started coming to love it,” said Cochran. “My tenth grade year, I got a spot on special teams, and that motivated me to want to play harder and say I can do this.”
Albany State finished 8-3 this season and 7-2 in conference before losing in the first round of the Division II playoffs. Head coach Mike White said there’s so many “upsides” to having Cochran become a Golden Ram.
“Just the athletic ability he has to rush and chase the ball,” he said. “We’re always trying to find guys to play full speed, and he did a good job of playing hard and chasing the football. The idea of having a kid his size (6-4, 225) — and even when you see him on the basketball court he’s probably closer to 6-5 — and that kind of athlete who can penetrate and come across the line of scrimmage, he can have an impact on defense.”
Cochran said there was one thing opponents needed to when it comes to blocking him.
“You can’t,” he said. “You have to come with all full contact because that’s what I’m going to do to you. I’m basically trying to knock you out because you’re in my path. I want to get to the quarterback or whoever has the ball. You’ve got to try to lay me out.”
When the All-Region team came out in December, Cochran’s name was left off the team. That didn’t sit well with him. One of his goals at Albany State is to make the All-Conference team before he’s through.
“I wish I could have been there; that’s what I always wanted to do,” he said. “It made me want to work harder in anything I do. That’s why I’m glad I got a second chance, and I want to be greater than that. I have to work hard and make them notice me. Get out there and do my job well.”
That’s exactly what White wants.
“I think he’s going to fit in good here,” said White. “He gets up the field well, and I think he can only get better. I look forward to him having good years at Albany State.”
