The Ohio State Buckeyes had a wealth of talent on the defensive side of the ball in 2019. It wasn’t just superstar defensive end Chase Young leading one of the nation’s best defenses.
Jeff Okudah, the cornerback phenom, had just as big of an impact. Virtually cutting off half of the field, quarterbacks didn’t dare through to Okudah, one of the best cornerbacks in college football.
For that reason, his collegiate numbers aren’t necessarily awing. His tackles or pass deflections won’t describe his dominance. However, as any coach in the Big Ten showed, they didn’t want any part of Okudah.
At the NFL Combine, Okudah ran a 4.48 40-yard dash and recorded a 41-inch vertical. His physical prowess was shown off, and his natural instincts just add up to help make the OSU product the draft’s best cornerback.
Next … Okudah’s strengths
Okudah’s strengths
A five-star coming out of high school, Okudah has been locking up the opponent’s best receiver since before he could drive. Now, he’ll take his game to yet another level.
What makes him so special though?
Well, his instincts do. Okudah, who stands 6-foot, 1 inch, allowed just 45 of the 106 passes that came into his territory to be completed, according to Pro Football Focus. They also note that he didn’t allow over 50 receiving yards in a single game.
Playing teams like Clemson, Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State, Okudah locked up some of the nation’s best receivers. His speed combined with his lateral quickness and unmatched agility makes hanging with speedsters easy. Part of that is because of his footwork and technique.
His size and length then helps him defend against other receivers in man-to-man coverage. He’s everything a defensive coordinator wants in a defensive back, and he showed it at the collegiate level.
Next … Weaknesses?
Okudah’s Weaknesses
There isn’t much here. Honestly, we look at these at a holistic standpoint, and there aren’t many parts of Okudah’s game that stick out as glaring negatives. However, The Draft Network did find one.
Calling his worst trait tackling, here’s what they had to say about it — a few sentences that somehow even left you thinking about praising Okudah even more.
“He isn’t the best tackling cornerback ever. Will melt off of contact at times and doesn’t seem to have great grip strength. Hitting power is impressive and will generate turnovers and PBUs with ability to arrive on time with catch point. Inactive fill defender against the run who will let contact come to him.”
But still, even that is nitpicking.
Next … Okudah’s draft projection?
Draft Prediction
Where Okudah will go is pretty easy to predict. However, it, at the same time, is impossible. After losing Darius Slay, the Lions will likely be banging on the door for a quality cornerback at No. 3.
If the Lions trade back to No. 5 with the Dolphins or even further back, Okudah could drop.
With Isaiah Simmons a top contender to go No. 4 to New York, it seems unlikely that Okudah will slip any farther than No. 5 where either Detroit or another team like Miami will scoop him up.
If he somehow does drop past three, some team is getting a very, very good value for their pick. Okudah has a great chance at being an instantaneous star at the highest level.
