Getty Chad Johnson before a Packers game in Green Bay.
The Detroit Lions have Jeff Okudah in the mix at cornerback, and the youngster isn’t shying away from the challenge of training with a former Pro Bowl wideout.
Recently, Chad Johnson tweeted that he’s looking for Okudah to come and train with him, and even threatened to stake out the Detroit facility if Okudah tries to dodge him.
@jeffokudah Now I’m waiting to line up with you, you can’t run forever & i will trespass at the Lions facility if necessary‼️
Okudah doesn’t seem to be hiding from the impending challenge, however. He went right back at Johnson, saying he simply had to send him details of where he’s at in order to get the training going.
It would be fun to see Okudah and Johnson matching wits on the field and interesting to see who comes out ahead in the battle. Either way, it’s clear the youngster could learn a lot from the experience of tangling with one of the best players the game had to offer at wide receiver.
Jeff Okudah Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds Revealed
The more training Okudah gets the better as he will come to Detroit with the hopes of turning around a Lions defense which has been bad on the back end. As a result, most figure Okudah will come into the mix and start right away. When he does that, what type of season can Okudah be expected to have? New odds are in from DraftKings Sportsbook and they favor Okudah strongly to have a great season and perhaps even take home the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
While Chase Young is a +250 to take home the award, Isaiah Simmons is a +500, Patrick Queen is a +900 and Kenneth Murray is a +1100, Okudah is in fifth position at a +1600, not that far off the pace. Obviously, with a great season, it would significantly help the cornerback’s odds.
Early on he’s fairly high already.
Jeffrey Okudah Called Perfect Fit For Lions
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 Okudah being a strong payer when all is said and done, and his talent figures helpful 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 was also a popular selection in mock drafts for Detroit, and those experts were proven right when the team selected him.
Training with a player like Johnson could only serve to make Okudah better, and it will be fascinating to see if this duo links up and puts in work together.
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Lions Rookie Planning Workout With Legendary NFL Wideout