A day after the National Football League lockout ended, three former South Dakota State University standouts signed free agent contracts and will make their way to training camps in the coming days.
Signing Tuesday were defensive back Cole Brodie (Jacksonville Jaguars), tight end Colin Cochart (Cincinnati Bengals) and linebacker Derek Domino (Denver Broncos).
Brodie was honored on the all-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team at cornerback and also received second-team honors as a return specialist during his senior season. In 2010, Brodie recorded a team-best five interceptions - two of which he returned for touchdowns - and ranked sixth on the squad with 62 tackles, adding four pass breakups. Brodie totaled 800 yards between punt and kickoff returns, averaging 24.9 yards per kick return and 11 yards per punt return.
Cochart is the latest in a line of Jackrabbit tight ends to receive a professional tryout. A first-team all-MVFC selection in 2010, the Kewaunee, Wis., native led SDSU with four touchdown receptions and ranked third on the squad with 31 receptions and 338 receiving yards. A four-year letterman, Cochart finished his collegiate career with 82 receptions, 997 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns
A native of Spring Lake Park, Minn., Domino earned first-team all-MVFC honors in both 2009 and 2010, notching more than 100 tackles each season. During his senior season, Domino tallied 103 total stops with four for loss. He recorded double figures in tackles in six of the Jackrabbits' 11 games, including a career-high 16 tackles at Nebraska. Domino also contributed an interception and five pass breakups in 2010. For his career, Domino registered 300 tackles and nine interceptions.
A total of seven former South Dakota State players are now expected to be in NFL training camps this summer. Besides the three recent signees, other former Jackrabbits continuing to pursue professional playing careers include Danny Batten (Buffalo Bills), Casey Bender (Indianapolis Colts), Chris Johnson (Chicago Bears) and Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts).
