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'It just really felt like home:' Why this 3-star lineman chose Wisconsin Badgers football over Big Ten, ACC schools

This towering offensive lineman knew it was a possibility but wasn’t expecting to verbally commit to Wisconsin during his first time in Madison. Yet he became the sixth 2026 recruit to announce his intentions to become a Badger.
Jake Kocorowski|
Wisconsin received its sixth commitment of the 2026 class from three-star Virginia offensive lineman Maddox Cochrane, center, the weekend of April 19.
Wisconsin received its sixth commitment of the 2026 class from three-star Virginia offensive lineman Maddox Cochrane, center, the weekend of April 19. | Jake Kocorowski

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A hotel room conversation allowed Maddox Cochrane to crystalize his intentions with the Wisconsin Badgers football program.

A three-star recruit from Richmond Benedictine College Preparatory in Virginia, Cochrane took his first unofficial visit to Wisconsin the weekend of April 19. The towering offensive lineman knew verbally committing was a possibility, but he wasn’t expecting to at the time. 

He noticed how nice the city of Madison was. His love of fishing made Lake Mendota and Lake Monona “convincing." And while referencing how big Camp Randall Stadium is and its place within the Big Ten, he called Wisconsin “a great program.”

By April 20, he was the sixth recruit to declare for the program’s 2026 class.

Offensive line coach AJ Blazek took Cochrane and his dad to one of the city’s more well-known restaurant chains, the Nitty Gritty, for dinner after a full day that included Wisconsin’s April 19 spring showcase.

“I had talked to my dad in the hotel, and I was like … ‘I want to commit. I really like it here, and I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to be. This is definitely the spot,’” Cochrane said. “We were sitting there, and we kind of eased into it, and I told Coach, and he's like, ‘You want to go? 

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, let's go.’ And so he was just kind of the first person I told.”

Blazek then contacted Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell and a few staff members – assistant offensive line coach Casey Rabach, graduate assistant Zack Heeman and college scouting coordinator Jared Thompson – with the good news.

Cochrane announced that following Sunday evening his decision to become a Badger, choosing Wisconsin over other Power Four schools such as Virginia Tech, Duke, Florida State, Maryland and Rutgers.

“I know a lot of people say you just get the feeling, and I definitely did when I was there,” Cochrane said. “That's my first time there. But the coaching staff is just fantastic. Coach Blaz' is a great person, great coach. The offensive line room is really, really well put together.”

Cochrane also pointed to Heeman and Rabach, who spent around a decade in the NFL.

“They have a lot of time to individually sit down with each player and really help develop them, and I couldn't find a better offensive line room in the country, honestly,” Cochrane said. “So that just really sealed the deal for me, and it just really felt like home.”

Wisconsin has transitioned to an “NFL-style” offense under new coordinator Jeff Grimes this offseason with an emphasis in a wide zone rushing scheme. Cochrane said he’s willing to play anywhere on the offensive line, but he thinks Blazek would like to play him at tackle. 

Cochrane, who also plays rugby, is the second projected offensive lineman in Wisconsin’s 2026 class and joins fellow three-star recruit Benjamin Novak (Merrillville Andrean, Indiana).

He initially announced his plans of taking an official visit back to Madison the weekend of May 29-June 1, but as he’s now expecting to participate in an Under Armour All-American Camp on June 1, he’s moved it to the second weekend of June.

“I would say I'm more athletic than most,” said Cochrane, who lists himself at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds. “I feel like I'm very aggressive. I think there's some things I can work on technicality-wise, so maybe pass set and just small stuff like that. But overall, I think I'm a very physical, dominant offensive lineman.”

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Jake Kocorowski
JAKE KOCOROWSKI

Jake Kocorowski has covered the Wisconsin football program since the 2013 season for a few outlets, most recently at the Wisconsin State Journal/BadgerExtra. He wrote, directed and edited BadgerExtra’s “Rags to Roses” series about the 1993 Wisconsin football team that won second place in the 2023 APSE Division C Project category.

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