Tyler Cochran

INTRODUCTION

Tyler Cochran began at Northern Illinois, where his sophomore season produced 15.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in a pandemic-impacted campaign. He then transferred to Ball State for a year before moving to Toledo. After redshirting his first season at Toledo, he earned a starting role, was named to the All-MAC Second Team, won the MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the Conference All-Defensive Team. For his final college year, he transferred to Minnesota but a foot injury sidelined him for the season. He now enters the graduate year with the Rams, seeking to recapture his impact on the court.

PHYSICAL

Tyler Cochran presents with a strong and sturdy build that allows him to absorb contact and finish through defenders. His physicality is matched by solid footwork and coordination. While not exceptionally quick for his size, his strength and balance enable him to maintain advantages in physical match-ups. He is not a vertical explosion athlete, and his lateral mobility could improve. Moreover, the foot injury that cost him a season at Minnesota raises questions about his long-term durability and stamina over full, high-tempo games.

OFFENSIVE PHASE

Tyler Cochran is a reliable finisher who uses his strength to attack the basket and complete contact finishes, averaging 54.6% on 9.1 2-P attempts per game. He is effective in pick-and-roll scenarios or when establishing position in the post. His mid-range shot shows efficiency, and his three-point percentage of 34.6% on 2.5 attempts suggests he has range, though consistency is still a work in progress. He is not a primary ball-handler, but he demonstrates enough dribble ability to create his shot and averages 2.1 assists per game while registering 2.2 turnovers per game. His basketball IQ allows him to find mismatches and influence the game, though he is not a natural high-volume scorer and needs to refine his decision-making when facing tighter defenses.

DEFENSIVE PHASE

On the defensive end, Cochran stands out for his tenacity and ability to generate turnovers, leading the MAC with 1.9 steals per game and averaging 6.4 rebounds his latest full season. He can defend multiple positions thanks to his strength and physical tools, and he fills roles within structured systems. However, his lateral quickness is average, and he can struggle when switched onto faster guards or tasked with defending high-tempo actions. He sometimes overcommits and incurs fouls, which limits his consistency and impact.

IMPROVED AREAS

Tyler Cochran should focus on three key areas. First, he needs to add functional strength and conditioning to improve stamina, absorb contact more comfortably, and maintain performance across full games. Second, his offensive game would benefit from expanding his perimeter threat and becoming more consistent from three-point range, which would force defenses to respect him everywhere on the floor. Third, defensively he must sharpen his lateral mobility, improve his footwork in screening and spacing situations, and reduce foul frequency to maximize his defensive value. With these adjustments, he projects as a high-effort two-way contributor for professional teams aiming for medium-level international leagues.

ORIGINAL SCOUT: 18/12/2024

UPDATED SCOUT: 03/11/2025