After much anticipation, the Detroit Lions selected the player we all thought they would. With their first-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft, the Lions select Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Even before the Darius Slay trade, cornerback was undoubtedly the most significant need for the Lions, and they arguably grabbed the most polished one in this draft class. Okudah will instantly compete for the Lions’ No.1 cornerback position and will compete against newly acquired Desmond Trufant, Amani Oruwariye, and Daryl Roberts.
Okudah will be the latest cornerback to come out of Ohio State, but he might be the best one yet. He is everything you are looking for in a cornerback and will fit in perfectly in what the Lions love to do on defense. With his sharp ability at any coverage type either be press, man, or zone, he is one of the highest ceiling cornerbacks to come out of the draft in recent memory and will instantly impact the Lions’ defense.
Okudah has excellent twitch and athleticism that allowed him to be a playmaker while at Ohio State leading the team in passes defended the last two years (tied in 2018) and led the team in interceptions last year. Also, with his physicality, he is a nightmare to any receiver he lines up against and confirmed after being named as one of the fiercest opponents of some of the prospects who played against him. The Lions also love high character players and look no further than Okudah, who was a Jim Thorpe award finalist and unanimous All-American this past year.
Okudah is precisely what the Lions need on this defense. This scheme versatile athletic playmaker who is highly intelligent and physical and can match up against any receiver he lines up against. To start the season, I am sure Trufant will be entering as CB1, but Okudah will instantly compete for that position and should be a fun battle to keep your eye on.
