After breaking out as an all-district selection at defensive tackle his sophomore year everything seemed to be on the up and up for Sammy Ochoa (33). However, in the middle of his junior season, Ochoa was sidelined due to injuries he sustained from a car accident. Missing half of a season’s worth of playing time is usually a death sentence to high school football players, many never being able to return to the same level of play ever again. This was not the case for Ochoa. Sammy went on to become Defensive MVP of District 25-6A his Senior Year.
What stands out the most about Ochoa’s play is his toughness. While Ochoa might not be the most technically proficient defensive lineman in the class of 2017, he more than makes up for that fact by relentlessly beating down his opponents. Ochoa uses his strength to absolutely maul offensive lineman. Sammy has an innate “meanness” to his play, something you can’t really coach into a player. You can also see the impact that meanness has on offensive lineman. it’s not uncommon while watching film on Ochoa to see an offensive lineman take a step backwards to brace himself rather than face Sammy head on. Ochoa also has some of the best get off speed I’ve seen in a defensive lineman this year, sometimes getting two steps in the ground before his opponent takes a single one.
Ochoa is as raw as he is tough. Without a doubt, Ochoa is a world beater at the high school level, but his technique and pad height could get him in big trouble at the next level. He often gives up his chest to offensive lineman. This is one of the biggest cardinal sins of defensive line play and a good college offensive lineman will punish a defensive lineman that shows any amount of breastplate.
I’m confident Sammy Ochoa will have a successful career wherever he decides to go. Although he may be raw, he has an immense ceiling due to the sheer amount of toughness he has. I definitely look forward to watching Sammy grow as player over the next couple of years and become a defensive terror at the next level.
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