Recruiting Report: Jake Cochnauer (Farmington-2021)

Jake Cochnauer is the total package as a football recruit. The 6’0, 195 lb. S/WR is cut from the same tough Farmington cloth that has served so many Tiger recruits successfully before him, and has made the Tigers one of the toughest teams in Southern Minnesota for more than a decade. The kids that come out of Farmington are strong, aggressive, and tenacious, and to get yourself in their starting lineup means you’ve worked your tail off on the field and off. Cochnauer is the latest in a long line of stand-our defensive backs for the Tigers that includes [player_tooltip player_id="10998" first="Luke" last="Weierke"] (MSU-Mankato), [player_tooltip player_id="2115" first="Adam" last="Weed"] (UIC-baseball), Darby Grengs (MSU-Moorhead), and Alex Chadwick (UST), and after posting 40 tackles, 3 interceptions, and an INT returned for a TD in 2019, there shouldn’t be any doubt that Cochnauer is just as good - if not better - than his predecessors. Additionally, he was recently named captain of Farmington’s basketball team for the 2020-21 season, and is a stud hooper as well. With D1s, DIIs, and DIIIs all showing interest, Northstar Football News was pumped when Cochnauer kindly agreed to give us a few minutes of his time to answer some questions about his natural leadership abilities, his big-time hit to cause a fumble against a Gopher commit, the 2019 season & his career at Farmington, and more. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9610478/5db5023ca018690f180f77c0">Junior SZN Highlights</a> [caption id="attachment_19113" align="aligncenter" width="300"] #10[/caption] NFN: Hello and thank you for your time, Jake. Please begin by telling us a little bit about yourself, when you began playing football & what you love about the game, some fun facts about you, and your measurables and 2019 stats. Cochnauer: “I’m in football, basketball and lacrosse. I’m also apart of a very successful AAU basketball team that travels around the country. I’m also apart National Honors Society. I was born in Edmond, Oklahoma and live there for about 8 years. I started playing football in 2nd grade and have loved it ever since. Fun facts are that I’m a pretty talented ping pong player and love the drive in Sonic! Football is something that is a lot more important than you, you need all 11 guys to execute there jobs on the field to be successful and you can’t do that without trust. Also football is a high energy game where you can just lay it all on the line and I love that. That sound of the crack of the shoulder pads is beautiful and there is nothing better. I’m 6’0”, weigh 195, I’ve never ran a official 40 outside with cleats on but i would say speed it something I have been working on a lot and can’t wait till I finally get the chance to figure out what my number is. I squat 385, Bench 210, and clean 265! 40 tackles, 3 INT (1 intTD), 3 Rec 53 yards ( only played one game at receiver.) really looking forward to being at receiver more this next season.” NFN: How was Farmington’s 2018 season? How did that impact expectations going in ‘19 and beyond? Cochnauer: “2018 was a very rough year, I started 6 games as a sophomore and learned a lot about playing at the highest level, but are team just couldn’t find a click to make us great, going into the 2019 season we built a lot on that trust and faith in each other just couldn’t take it that one extra step! I always set the highest expectations for myself and I see myself as a playmaker and I knew I would have the most take aways at the end of the season for are team. We had very high team expectations and set are goal making it to the bank, we lost by 1 in the first round on a very tough game that could’ve went either way. We’ve all been playing together for so long but just realizing that taking the extra step we need to develop that trust in each other and take it to a level where we can be elite.” NFN: What can you say about Farmington’s intense strength program, and what do you enjoy about the Tigers program? Cochnauer: “I dedicate myself to workout a lot outside of mandatory workouts and push myself as much as I can! Playing for Farmington has been a blessing and truly surreal experience that I will never forget, having a elite coach like Coach Fischer is incredible and I truly love playing for him.” NFN: You’re a distinguished leader at Farmington..talk a little about that. How do you take being a leader as a Tiger? Also, with such a dangerous passing attack at Farmington, what are some of the keys to your success, as well as QB Alex Berreth, and the rest of the receivers? Cochnauer: “I have been recognized as part of a prestigious leadership group for football as a junior and a senior. Leadership is something I take very seriously and something I want to continue to grow at everyday. The key to getting open is just always running my route as hard as I can no matter what, even when I don’t get the ball I have to make sure I open up my teammates so they can do there thing and make a play! Which I something I trust in all my receivers, where they would do the same thing for me. My biggest strength I would say is I don’t drop balls when it comes my way I make a play, which is also a lot easier with a great QB like Alex who puts the ball where nobody will catch it but you! I also take a lot of pride in blocking and clearing the way for my RB, or other receivers on screen plays. Like I’ve said I have so much trust in my QB/Receivers and expect nothing besides being great and if people wanna see some fun football to come out and watch us do are thing!” NFN: Now get into the 2019 regular season. Who’d y’all play? What were some big games/moments for you? I got to see y’all play against Rosemount, how did you think you performed in that game? Then talk about the playoff game and how that has affected you guys going into 2020? Cochnauer: “We started 4-0 and were clicking on all cylinders, then we got into a tough stretch and played some very tough teams but never gave up and when adversity hit we only wanted it more! We played Stillwater, Osseo, Eagan, Burnsville, Rosemount, Eastview, South, North! Which is a lot of the top teams in the state, but against Rosemount [player_tooltip player_id="10963" first="Jonathan" last="Mann"] did have some great plays but a lot of times I got right off his block and caused him to fumble on a hit on the sideline. I love to compete no matter who is in-front of me and my mentality doesn’t change no mater who is in front of me. The playoff game was a very intense and eventful game, where are defense make a lot of great stops, but the offense also made some great plays. We had a lot of chances to pull ahead and a shot at the end of the game that we couldn’t executed but we are more than ready to get after it this next season! Having a great group of leaders that will take us to the next level!” [caption id="attachment_19115" align="alignnone" width="300"] #10 with a good open field stick.[/caption] NFN: Now get into recruiting. Who has been in contact? What are you looking for in a college & what else can you say about the recruitment process? Cochnauer: “St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Olaf, Iowa Western, Minnesota, Bethel, Sioux Falls. I was going to 8-12 junior days, but this corona has taken those options out, but am still in contact with a lot of schools and planning to still visit a lot of them! I am willing to play for any organization that will put there trust and faith in me and always be there for me! I’ve been contacted by D1,D2,and D3 schools just inviting me to junior days and also just starting the recruiting process! I have not attended any camps, but planning on to going to several this summer! The recruiting is going great, just hard to say a lot when I haven’t been to any of the schools yet, or talked to many of the coaches in person yet!” NFN: Lastly, what can you bring to a college football program, and what do you do well as a player? Cochnauer: “I feel like I bring a lot to the football field, my teammates all have a lot of trust in me and do everything for my teammates it’s not about me, it’s about them and all my teammates know that! I bring a lot of leadership! I also play with a lot of passion and enthusiasm which is something I take with pride! Also like I’ve said I’m a play maker and always making the right reads on my blocks and getting to the right place! I think I offer a lot to a program, but mainly I bring the same thing everyday being very consistent with my leadership and play!” Northstar Football News is pumped to watch Cochnauer and the loaded 2020 Tigers this fall, and this won’t be the last you hear from #10 on his recruiting trail. Thanks for reading!