Getty Chase Young on the field for Ohio State.
The Detroit Lions, most assume, would love a miracle in the 2020 NFL Draft in the form of Chase Young falling in their lap with the No. 3 overall pick in the first round.
But could Detroit actually bypass Young in that scenario for another player? Most would consider such a circumstance preposterous given the team’s need for pass rush help, but it’s exactly the scenario that Pro Football Focus had playing out in their latest mock based on analytics.
Young falls to the No. 3 pick in the draft, but the Lions elect to go with his teammate Jeffrey Okudah, a cornerback from Ohio State. The reasoning in the mind of the experts? The fact that the Lions could want an elite player for the back end rather than a huge pass rush presence.
Jeffrey Okudah over Chase Young at pick 3 makes sense for the Lions 🗣️@PFF_Sam
“I think they just prioritize coverage over pass rush in this kind of system,” Sam Monson said. “We saw it for years in New England, whether it was Darelle Revis getting paid, whether it was Stephon Gilmore getting having the investment instead of a defensive lineman. I think the Lions might go for cornerback instead of Chase Young as well.”
Detroit’s pass rush is in major need of some sort of boost, but cornerback might be the biggest need on the roster heading into the draft. It will be a great case study to see what the team values more if both players are indeed on the board when the Lions pick. The likelihood of that might be slim, but it could be a perfect dilemma for the team to have given their defensive needs.
According to PFF, it’s something to remember if the Lions are faced with the decision on which Buckeye to select when all is said and done. In this case, it’s Okudah.
Why Jeffrey Okudah Fits Lions
Recently, a pair of Pro Football Focus analysts explained why Okudah is such a good fit for plenty of teams, especially the Lions, and why he ranks so highly given what he did in college.
“He is the number one cornerback in this draft class. He should be, realistically, the first cornerback drafted within the top three picks in a while,” they said. “It just hasn’t happened. It’s a rare thing to see, but for our money, the second most valuable position on the football field.”
When it came to the Lions, production is the thing that should catch their eye with Okudah most of all according to the PFF folks.
“Someone like the Lions should be more than willing to make Jeffrey Okudah their first round pick with just how dominant he’s been over the course of his college career. For his entire career in college he’s allowed 5.4 yards per target. From freshman year to junior year. That’s absurd. Rare to see a guy play at that high a level,” they said.”
Detroit might not be the only team to consider Okudah heavily, but their scheme could represent the best fit given man coverage.
“Three, four and five, Lions, Giants and Dolphins all would, should consider Okudah,” they said. “I think he is that good. We always speak to this too. With Okudah and Ohio State cornerbacks, they always play a ton of man coverage, having that experience, the Lions fit is too easy.”
The smart money remains on the Lions considering Okudah strongly when all is said and done given the need, his talent and the potential to build up a miserable defense.
Jeffrey Okudah Stats
Okudah could be the best player on the board when the Lions end up picking at No. 3. As also explained elsewhere, evaluators love his length and size. It could be a winning combination for a needy Detroit pass defense that has been exposed in a major way this season on the back end.
At Ohio State, Okudah has put up some excellent numbers in a short time. He’s collected 78 tackles, 3 interceptions, 16 passes defended and 2 fumble recoveries. Perhaps better than that for the Lions, he didn’t allow a completion over 50 yards this season.
That paints the portrait of a player who can be a potential lock down defender at the next level. Okudah has also been a popular selection in other mock drafts for Detroit. If he’s the selection over Young, there could be a good reason why.
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