Iowan Jack Cochrane strives to make the most of his NFL opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs

From being underrecruited out of high school to going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, it would have been easy for Jack Cochrane to give up on his football dreams.

But quitting has never been in the 23-year-old linebacker's DNA. His perseverance paid off as he now plays for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

Growing up in Mount Vernon, Cochrane's love of sports came naturally as he participated in multiple different activities for much of his life.

Thriving on competition, he got his fill playing with and/or against future college and NFL stars like offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum, quarterback Cam Miller and linebacker Adam Bock.

Surrounded by so much talent in a 10-mile radius, Cochrane said it all comes from how people in the area are raised.

“There is just a unique environment of people around Solon and Mount Vernon,” Cochrane said. “There are a lot of really good families and kids raised with the expectation that they are going to do the right things and try their best. As a result, you see an unusual amount of success come out of that area.”

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Unfortunately, it can be difficult to catch the eyes of big colleges when you're from a small town.

This was the case for Cochrane, who found that as his high school career with the Mustangs was coming to an end, college offers were few and far between.

“I was pretty unrecruited coming out of high school," Cochrane said. "I was playing safety, running back and wide receiver, which were not positions a lot of colleges thought I was going to play. So I would have had to walk on at a couple of schools. That is when I got an offer from South Dakota, and I ended up taking it.”

Playing at the college level presented a challenge of its own. The Coyotes' coaching staff wanted him to transition to linebacker.

“In some ways, it was kind of nice because I did not have any bad habits coming out of high school," Cochrane said. "So when I got to college, my coaches got to kind of start from scratch and show me some good habits when playing linebacker. Obviously, it was different because I had to learn how to read the line of scrimmage and react quicker because there was less space, but I would say that I adapted decently well.”

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That experience playing both positions paid off for Cochrane as he went on to have a remarkable career at South Dakota. In addition to being voted a team captain three times, he racked up 327 tackles (sixth most in program history), 23 tackles for loss, five sacks, four interceptions and 10 pass deflections.

As a senior, he was named MVFC (Missouri Valley Football Conference) Scholar Athlete of the Year, was selected to the first-team MVFC All-Academic Team, and was a first-team All-MVFC selection.

Cochrane did not hear his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft. Familiar with the feeling of being overlooked, Cochrane said that rather than let it get him down he had to adapt.

“After being underrecruited out of high school, going undrafted was not an entirely new feeling,” Cochrane said. “I knew that there was an outside chance that I could be drafted on that third day, but I still felt good about the opportunity of going undrafted because I could find a spot where I could try to make things happen. So I learned to roll with the punches and make the best out of the situation that was thrown my way.”

After hearing offers from several NFL teams who hoped to sign him after the draft, Cochrane decided that the Kansas City Chiefs were the best fit for him.

“Going through the pre-draft process, I got to speak with different coaches and other staff members around the organization,” Cochrane said. “The values that people here have really spoke to me. Obviously, the level of success that they have had over the past decade spoke for itself. So this was something that I wanted to be a part of and I have loved it since I have been here.”

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Cochrane did not make the team's initial 53-man roster but was signed to Kansas City's practice squad. He was activated Sept. 13, a moment that brought him short-lived excitement.

"It was cool, but I knew that I had to get back to work,” Cochrane said. “Obviously, it was something that I have dreamed about since I was a kid, but it was a short moment. It was great to know that I was going to play in an NFL game, but I knew that I had to prepare and be ready to go. The old adage is that the NFL stands for ‘Not For Long’ so if you do not go out there and prove you belong every week, you are missing out on an opportunity. ”

Cochrane registered his first career tackle during the Chiefs' Week 4 Sunday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The most memorable moment of the night may have come after the game when Cochrane caught up with his lifelong friend Tristan Wirfs, a Tampa Bay offensive lineman.

Cochrane said it felt like a culmination of both players' hard work.

“It was a pretty surreal moment,” Cochrane said. “I have played every sport with Tristan since we were four or five years old. So I cannot really explain how that moment felt, but it was an incredible feeling knowing what we have both been through. Yes, we had different journeys, but to end up in the same place for the first time since high school was pretty special. It is a moment I am going to hold in my heart for a long time.”

Cochrane has appeared in four games with the Chiefs, registering three tackles. Well aware that his days in the NFL could end at any time, Cochrane said he is doing his best to make the most out of every day.

“I am a pretty short-term goals kind of guy,” Cochrane said. “I focus more on coming in each day and making the most out of them. I believe that if you can make the most out of the process, the results will take care of themselves. Of course, I want to be in this league for a long time and be a big contributor on not only special teams but on this defense too. But I think if you get too wrapped up in that stuff it will drive you crazy. So I just try to work my butt off and make the most out of each day.”

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowan Jack Cochrane makes most of his opportunity with the Chiefs