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Central High School grad close to NFL dream

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For defensive end Victor Ochi, the problem has often been getting people to take notice of him. After a couple of standout seasons at Valley Stream Central High School, Ochi only received one college football scholarship offer. He then took on a starring role for the Stony Brook University football team’s defense, but still maintained a relatively low profile, partly because he played in a lesser known conference.

But, after an impressive senior season, and a few strong showings at events with NFL scouts in attendance, Ochi is finally starting to draw serious attention. And later this week, he will have a chance to make history for his school, by becoming the first ever Seawolves’ player selected in the NFL draft.

“It was very painful being so low profile coming out of high school. I wanted to go to a lot of schools,” Ochi said. “But there was finally that one school that took a chance on me. That meant a lot to me. And now to be in an opportunity where I could be drafted for that one school that really took the chance on me, has been an awesome experience.”

            Ochi is being projected as a fifth-to seventh round pick in the 2016 draft. A total of 15 NFL teams saw the 6-1, 250-pound senior standout in a Pro Day event at Stony Brook University last month. He also impressed in the 2016 East-West Shrine game.

“Watching him dominate the East-West Shrine Game a few months ago was incredible,” Ochi’s high school coach at VSC, Frank Chimienti said. “He was elected captain by his teammates; guys who play for much bigger D-I programs. He was the talk of the week and the announcers couldn’t stop mentioning him. He had a sack and a tackle for loss.”

Even ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has told members of the media that Ochi is a player to keep an eye on. According to Ochi’s former college teammate Davonte Anderson, all of the recent hype about the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year is well justified.

“As a defensive player, he is the playmaker anyone will want to have on their team,” Anderson said. “His explosiveness and ‘hunt’ mindset is scary for offensives.”

The mental part of the game is a big reason why Ochi, who many believe to be undersized for an NFL edge rusher, has made it to this point. A hatred of losing has always fueled him to be better.

“(My competitiveness) is my greatest strength,” Ochi said. “I feel like this game is a man’s game, and that a high compete level is what the game demands. I play to win, and that is really what propels me to elevate my game.”

As for the being undersized talk, Ochi does not seem fazed by it at this point in his journey.

“I’ve heard that my whole career, starting from high school,” he said. “I don’t really pay mind to it. I’ve proven whether it be the East-West game, my conference, or high school, that I’ve been unblockable. And I’m going to live by that until I’m proven wrong.”

A passion for the game of football has been inside of Ochi from a young age, but he did not compete in organized sports at all until his sophomore year of high school. His parents wanted to make sure he was serious about his education first, before letting him take the field.

Once finally allowed on the gridiron, Ochi used his tremendous build and athletic ability to help him put together a memorable high school career, which ended with All-County honors in his senior season and an appearance in the Empire Challenge All-Star game.

“From watching the game, I knew that this is what I wanted to do, and I knew I could be very successful playing it,” Ochi said. “So as soon as I stepped on the field I was confident, and was able to make some noise.”

At Stony Brook, Ochi continued his rapid development under head coach Chuck Priore. In his junior year, he broke out in a big way, registering 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for losses.

“That’s when I started getting a lot of attention from scouts and other people,” Ochi said. “Teammates who had already graduated the previous year were telling me that people were asking about me, and that there was some buzz. My coach talked to me at the end of the season and told me that I have a chance to make a lot money, and that if I do my things right I could be in a great position.”

Ochi seemed to grasp his coach’s message, as he took his game to even higher heights during his senior year, earning a career-high 13 sacks, in just 10 games.

“It took a lot of hard work,” Ochi said. “I was able to really watch film of myself, and see the mistakes I had to work on. I knew I had to get a little bit stronger and a little bit faster. And it was really about harnessing my technique.”

Anderson believes that Ochi’s development off the field is one of the biggest reasons for why he is in the position he is today.

“I was fortunate enough to see Vic grow a whole lot not just as a player, but as a person during my years at Stony Brook. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would get himself to this point in his football career,” Anderson said. “It was only a matter of time until his growth as a person reached the level of his athletic potential. Now that those are in tune, there's nothing that's going to stop him.”

All of Ochi’s hard work looks as if it could pay off in a big way in a few days.

“Victor’s a great underdog story,” Chimienti said. “He made the most of his only collegiate offer and there’s a great chance he’ll be drafted.”

If this underdog’s name is called on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday at Chicago’s Auditorium Theater, he will not be taking the moment for granted.

“This has been my dream since I was 12,” Ochi said. “Just knowing that all my hard work has finally paid off and that things are starting to unfold for me will be unreal.”