Cheatum Looking to Make an Impact
Aug 15, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Although Drake Cheatum, a 2021 HBCU All-American cornerback, was primed for another stellar season at Prairie View A&M, the 5-foot-10, 191-pound senior pivoted after much deliberation and entered the transfer portal on the final day, May 1, hoping to play his final season at a major college program.
The gamble has apparently paid off.
"I took a leap of faith and took a chance on myself not knowing where I'd end up," Cheatum said. "There were a lot of emotions that went into it. I love Prairie View and I'm an alum now. It was really hard to enter the portal and take the risk playing my final season someplace else not knowing the possibilities."
Although North Texas and UNLV expressed interest in Cheatum, the native of Mesquite, Texas, was intrigued by a phone call that he received from Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman a few hours after his name appeared in the portal database.
Cheatum knew his former Prairie View A&M teammate, cornerback Reggie Stubblefield, made the switch to the Wildcats and played his final season in Manhattan last fall. Stubblefield occupied the high-safety position called the "jack" position. Stubblefield loved playing in the trenches, and he became a fan favorite while delivering hard hits for a defensive unit that allowed its fewest points per game (21.0) since 2003.
Stubblefield saw action in 12 games and started each of the final five contests while earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches.
Cheatum took an official visit to K-State one week after entering the portal and announced his transfer to the Wildcats on May 8. He graduated from Prairie View A&M and moved to Manhattan on June 1.
It's been a change for Cheatum in more ways than one. Cheatum traditionally has been a shutdown cornerback. Last season, he had a team-high 86 tackles to go along with 5.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and 10 total pass breakups.
He consistently impressed Stubblefield.
"You're going to get somebody who's 100% in everything he does," Stubblefield said. "He's accountable and super smart. He graduated in engineering. He's a man and he's a playmaker. He's just so competitive. I took him under my wing, and he listened. You want somebody who's going to listen and follow directions and do better than you.
"Everything I accomplished he blew out of the water. He watched me grow and I watched him. Drake checks off all the boxes."
Cheatum headed into fall camp carrying the capacity to follow in his old teammate's footsteps. He sat in the K-State press box days before the start of fall camp and contemplated his role.
"Right now, I'm currently learning the jack position, but anything can change from here until September," he said prior to fall camp. "The responsibilities with jack are you're going to run a lot, so you're that middle safety, but at the same time you have to be good in the passing game and cover tight ends and bigger receivers. Being the jack of all trades, you have to do everything, be able to play in the box and lock down the tight ends, slot receivers, and play deep coverage. You have to do everything."
Count Stubblefield among Cheatum's top supporters.
"I'm very happy," Stubblefield said. "I'm interested to see how things play out. There's competition no matter what position you play. I know what K-State is going to do for him. I'm interested to see what he's going to do for K-State.
"Drake can play in the trenches. He's tough. Playing in the trenches is not even a question."
As for the biggest difference between Cheatum and Stubblefield?
"I might not be as vibrant as Reggie," Cheatum said, "but I do have that attitude. I play with attitude and nastiness."
Soon after Cheatum's arrival in Manhattan, the tutor sessions under Klanderman began.
"That's a good guy," Cheatum said. "We spent a lot of time up there studying film. I only have one season and I'm learning a brand-new defense, so I spent a lot of time learning all the ins and outs. I've been really working hard in the film room and appreciate Coach Klanderman spending extra time with me.
"It was a daily thing. I went up there every day he was up there to watch some tape — 'What would you do here? What would you do there?' — so I know how Coach Klanderman thinks and how he wants his safeties to play. The biggest part of being productive is knowing what the head man wants and what he sees. If you see what he sees you're going to be successful."
As for Cheatum's technique? He believes it'll bode well for the K-State defense.
"My technique is pretty good, man," he said. "I pride myself on covering and being a good tackler. I don't want to be one dimensional and just be a defensive back that can tackle or one that's in the box. I pride myself on doing it all. You make yourself one dimensional and you're not as valuable. I'm trying to make the biggest impact, man. I'm going to try to help lead this defense and get my hands on the ball and create turnovers and havoc."
Sounds a lot like his former teammate.
Cheatum is ready to roll.
"I'm super anxious to get to the first game," he said. "From what Reggie tells me, I'm super anxious seeing the highlight tapes and how crazy the fans get. I'm super excited. The adrenaline and that rush of playing in front of 50,000 will be crazy."
Although Drake Cheatum, a 2021 HBCU All-American cornerback, was primed for another stellar season at Prairie View A&M, the 5-foot-10, 191-pound senior pivoted after much deliberation and entered the transfer portal on the final day, May 1, hoping to play his final season at a major college program.
The gamble has apparently paid off.
"I took a leap of faith and took a chance on myself not knowing where I'd end up," Cheatum said. "There were a lot of emotions that went into it. I love Prairie View and I'm an alum now. It was really hard to enter the portal and take the risk playing my final season someplace else not knowing the possibilities."
Although North Texas and UNLV expressed interest in Cheatum, the native of Mesquite, Texas, was intrigued by a phone call that he received from Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman a few hours after his name appeared in the portal database.
Cheatum knew his former Prairie View A&M teammate, cornerback Reggie Stubblefield, made the switch to the Wildcats and played his final season in Manhattan last fall. Stubblefield occupied the high-safety position called the "jack" position. Stubblefield loved playing in the trenches, and he became a fan favorite while delivering hard hits for a defensive unit that allowed its fewest points per game (21.0) since 2003.
Stubblefield saw action in 12 games and started each of the final five contests while earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches.
Cheatum took an official visit to K-State one week after entering the portal and announced his transfer to the Wildcats on May 8. He graduated from Prairie View A&M and moved to Manhattan on June 1.
"It was a quick turnaround for me," Cheatum said, "but it's the family environment that helped sell me. Reggie told me about what's going on and what's happening here. He said, 'Man, it's family.' Reggie is like family to me. For him to say this was family to him, I wanted to be a part of that.""Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the lord and not for men, knowing that from the lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the lord Jesus Christ." -Colossians 3:23-24 #Commited #EMAW pic.twitter.com/5LPCKN9K5j
— Drake 🦍 (@oGlittledrake1) May 8, 2022
It's been a change for Cheatum in more ways than one. Cheatum traditionally has been a shutdown cornerback. Last season, he had a team-high 86 tackles to go along with 5.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and 10 total pass breakups.
He consistently impressed Stubblefield.
"You're going to get somebody who's 100% in everything he does," Stubblefield said. "He's accountable and super smart. He graduated in engineering. He's a man and he's a playmaker. He's just so competitive. I took him under my wing, and he listened. You want somebody who's going to listen and follow directions and do better than you.
"Everything I accomplished he blew out of the water. He watched me grow and I watched him. Drake checks off all the boxes."
Cheatum headed into fall camp carrying the capacity to follow in his old teammate's footsteps. He sat in the K-State press box days before the start of fall camp and contemplated his role.
"Right now, I'm currently learning the jack position, but anything can change from here until September," he said prior to fall camp. "The responsibilities with jack are you're going to run a lot, so you're that middle safety, but at the same time you have to be good in the passing game and cover tight ends and bigger receivers. Being the jack of all trades, you have to do everything, be able to play in the box and lock down the tight ends, slot receivers, and play deep coverage. You have to do everything."
Count Stubblefield among Cheatum's top supporters.
"I'm very happy," Stubblefield said. "I'm interested to see how things play out. There's competition no matter what position you play. I know what K-State is going to do for him. I'm interested to see what he's going to do for K-State.
"Drake can play in the trenches. He's tough. Playing in the trenches is not even a question."
As for the biggest difference between Cheatum and Stubblefield?
"I might not be as vibrant as Reggie," Cheatum said, "but I do have that attitude. I play with attitude and nastiness."
Soon after Cheatum's arrival in Manhattan, the tutor sessions under Klanderman began.
"That's a good guy," Cheatum said. "We spent a lot of time up there studying film. I only have one season and I'm learning a brand-new defense, so I spent a lot of time learning all the ins and outs. I've been really working hard in the film room and appreciate Coach Klanderman spending extra time with me.
"It was a daily thing. I went up there every day he was up there to watch some tape — 'What would you do here? What would you do there?' — so I know how Coach Klanderman thinks and how he wants his safeties to play. The biggest part of being productive is knowing what the head man wants and what he sees. If you see what he sees you're going to be successful."
As for Cheatum's technique? He believes it'll bode well for the K-State defense.
"My technique is pretty good, man," he said. "I pride myself on covering and being a good tackler. I don't want to be one dimensional and just be a defensive back that can tackle or one that's in the box. I pride myself on doing it all. You make yourself one dimensional and you're not as valuable. I'm trying to make the biggest impact, man. I'm going to try to help lead this defense and get my hands on the ball and create turnovers and havoc."
Sounds a lot like his former teammate.
Cheatum is ready to roll.
"I'm super anxious to get to the first game," he said. "From what Reggie tells me, I'm super anxious seeing the highlight tapes and how crazy the fans get. I'm super excited. The adrenaline and that rush of playing in front of 50,000 will be crazy."
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