Marquee miss: Bears DB won’t get to test self vs. SEC

Central Arkansas defensive back Robert Rochell, who is projected as a player who could be drafted in the rst three rounds of the NFL Draft, lost an opportunity to showcase his skills against an SEC team when the Bears game against Missouri was canceled.
(Photo courtesy of Central Arkansas)
Central Arkansas defensive back Robert Rochell, who is projected as a player who could be drafted in the rst three rounds of the NFL Draft, lost an opportunity to showcase his skills against an SEC team when the Bears game against Missouri was canceled.
(Photo courtesy of Central Arkansas)

The fallout of the SEC's decision to play a conference-only schedule in 2020 will affect many schools, coaches and players around the country.

Individually, the falling dominoes will affect University of Central Arkansas cornerback Robert Rochell's future. The 6-1, 195-pounder is rated as one of the top players in the Football Championship Subdivision, and he is a candidate to be selected in the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft.

With UCA's game against Missouri on Sept. 5 now canceled, Rochell will miss an opportunity to showcase his talents against an SEC school.

"I definitely think it would hurt him," said Jordan Reid, a senior NFL Draft analyst for The Draft Network. "The first tape that evaluators are going to pop in are the money games where these FCS schools play FBS and Power 5 opponents. If he doesn't have that opportunity, it could hurt him a little.

"But the other area that may hurt him is the pre-draft process if there's no Senior Bowl, which I think he has a good chance of making if he has a good senior year. So, missing out on the pre-draft process bowl games and the big money games against the FBS competition I think would definitely hurt his stock."

Rochell became one of the most widely discussed FCS players after cracking The Athletic's college football "Freaks List" at No. 12.

Among the 61 defensive backs who attended the 2020 NFL combine, the 40-yard dash time of 4.38 that Rochell has posted would have been third; his 41-inch vertical would tie for second; and his 140-inch broad jump would be first.

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University of Central Arkansas defensive back Robert Rochell — the No. 1 rated FCS cornerback in the 2021 class, according to Draft Scout — stands out because of the effort he puts into becoming an impact player, Bears Coach Nathan Brown said.
(Photo courtesy University of Central Arkansas)

"There's been a lot of great athletes come through UCA over the last 15 or 20 years ... but since I've been here, he's got to be in the conversation as one of the best athletes that's come through here," UCA football Coach Nathan Brown said. "Not only does he do it on the field, but you look at his numbers in the weight room -- his 40 time, his pro-agility times and his vertical -- you put all those things together, there's no doubt he's one of the more physically gifted kids that's ever come through this program."

Playing football since age 5, Rochell recalls kids not being able to catch him in flag football.

"I was just faster than everybody," he said. "I would be running and no one would be around me."

At Fair Park High School in Shreveport, it was much of the same for Rochell, who mostly played running back and wide receiver. During his senior year, he rushed for 922 yards on 93 carries and caught 25 passes for 465 receiving yards. He also finished third in the state of Louisiana in the 100 meters with a time of 10.8.

"I think Robert is a guy who came in here as a great athlete and worked his way into being a great football player," Brown said. "He was a really raw talent coming out of high school. He just made plays with his God-given athletic talent. You could see a raw talent and a raw skill jump out at you on the field.

"We knew if he came in and bought into our system, that he would have a chance to be in this situation that he's about to be in his senior year, and that's the opportunity to go to the next level and be a high draft pick."

Rochell has bought into the system, playing corner the past three seasons for the Bears after redshirting in 2016. In 2019, he started all 13 games, totaling 18 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. His ball production combined with his size and athletic ability have led to him being the No. 1 rated FCS corner in the 2021 class, according to Draft Scout.

Reid said Rochell is similar to defensive backs Kyle Dugger from Lenoir-Rhyne (Division II) and Jeremy Chinn from Southern Illinois (FCS), who both went in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Dugger was selected by the New England Patriots 37th overall, and Chinn was picked by the Carolina Panthers 64th overall. Chinn was one of only six FCS players drafted this year.

"I think he can definitely position himself to be selected in a similar draft range as Dugger and Chinn," Reid said. "He is the prototypical size that you love to see at the position. He's the new wave of cornerback. And what I mean by the 'new wave' is that you're seeing a lot of 6-foot-plus corners, and that's something that has really become a prerequisite coming into the NFL."

Brown said Rochell separates from others with the effort he puts into becoming an impact player.

"He's a young man that didn't come from a whole lot. He's always had to work for what he's obtained. And this has been no different over the last four years," Brown said. "He came in as a soaking wet, 165-, 170-pound kid that was just a raw athlete and turned himself into one of the best corners in the country at any level.

"He has a mentality that he refuses to lose. When the ball is in the air, he goes and makes plays. And it's just like that in life, he refuses to lose."

Rochell might have a difficult decision to make if the Southland Conference moves its season to the spring, much like many other FCS conferences have over the past month. He could opt out of playing in the spring and instead prepare for the draft. Rochell said he hasn't given much thought to what he would do if the season was moved.

For now, he's not too worried about the future because he knows he's done all he can to prepare himself for the next level.

"It would mean everything to me to be drafted. It's everything I've worked for. I've sacrificed so much to get to this point," Rochell said. "After everything I"ve done and worked at, it's just humbling and feels great to know I'm close to making that dream come true.

"And it's bigger than me. I'm doing this for my family, for people I've lost, for my homeboys who weren't able to be in this position -- it's bigger than just me, it'll always be bigger than me."

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