Getty Jashon Cornell on the field with Ohio State.
The Detroit Lions are hoping they landed a franchise cornerstone with No. 3 pick Jeff Okudah, and that’s just what Jashon Cornell thinks they have done.
Cornell, who played at Ohio State with Okudah, would certainly know about this. After all, he was in the same position group with Okudah and got to see him day in and day out. As a result, Cornell said when asked about his teammate that the Lions did well enough to get themselves a franchise player at the position for the future.
New Lions DT Jashon Cornell said Jeff Okudah is "going to be a franchise player"
They played together at Ohio State.
He also goes against Jonah Jackson every day in practice.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) April 25, 2020
Obviously, the Lions want to see this be the case, but Cornell is hardly alone with his opinion. Others have said that Okudah trends well as a pro, and could be a great player through the years.
Cornell himself is no slouch. With the Buckeyes up front, the lineman put up 62 tackles and 7 sacks along with 14.5 tackles for loss. The best news about Cornell is that work came in his final season in Columbus, pointing to a player who peaked at the right time.
Now, he will get a chance to crack the roster and join his teammate Okudah in Detroit as a key part of the defense.
Former NFL Player Emmanuel Acho Loves Jeff Okudah’s Fit With Lions
According to ESPN analyst Emmanuel Acho, Okudah is a player who is a generational talent at cornerback coming into the league for the Detroit Lions. In the aftermath of the Lions picking up Okudah with the No. 3 pick in the draft, Acho said that Okudah plays incredibly smart on the field, and showed a great example of why.
Jeff Okudah🇳🇬🇳🇬 to the #Lions
A generation talent at cornerback.
What makes him special- #AchoAnswers
@jeffokudah @PrideOfDetroit @davebirkett #NFLDraft2020
As Acho shows, Okudah makes an intelligent play in a game where he is able to break off a route, fall backwards and still make an interception. Additionally, Acho displays Okudah’s toughness in coverage, and his ability to stand up to the best wide receiver on the other team physically.
“He’s a generational talent. Elite ball skills, elite press coverage. Jeff Okudah is a dog,” Acho says in conclusion of the clip.
Across the board, plenty of folks have this opinion about Okudah, and it will be fascinating to see how his NFL career goes as a result. Many believe it could be a legendary one, and Okudah will be making an impact for a long time in the league.
Jeff Okudah Excited Joining Lions
After being selected, Okudah showed off a new virtual trading card from Panini, but also shared his excitement to be coming to the Lions. He even flashed the One Pride rally cry, as well as giving a “Go Lions” to the fans.
One team, one goal, #OnePride. Let’s GOOO @Lions 🙌. Check out my new #PaniniInstant card here t.co/hS0RzQr64P #NFLDraft #WhoDoYouCollect
Okudah also said he is ready to be in the mix, and no words can describe his excitement to join the team.
Obviously, Okudah will have a bit of ground to make up with several fans in Michigan considering his Ohio State roots given his team has beaten up Michigan and Michigan State the last few seasons, but with a solid enough performance in the secondary, everyone will be able to overlook that.
Okudah also spoke humbly after being picked by the team about his ability to fit in and assimilate with the team.
@SiriusXMNFL Asked if he’s ready to be a lock-down corner for the Lions: “It’s definitely a big challenge. I’m just ready to go into that locker room, begin to earn my teammates’ respect and that’ll be the first step. We’ll go from there after that.”
It will be fun to see how Okudah adjusts to being a top dog on the Detroit defense, but it’s clear that he’s ready to fit in and make an impact for the team from a mental standpoint.
Eventually, he might be that cornerstone player his former teammate thinks he can be.