This is the best thing I’m hearing out of camp. I remember the media reports last year at the time were of how lost he looked.
Would be fantastic to have a lockdown corner for once.
Well I’m not sure there was a rookie ever put in a worst situation.
1st he’s was picked at #3 witch some thought he was over drafted.
- Then He came in during covid-19 and got no preseason.
3 he played for a coach that put all his dbs in the worst possible situation to succeed.
4 He played in probably the worst system in football.
On top of that he was fighting a groining issue most of the year.
I look for good things from this kid.
I dont know if he’ll ever live up to where he was taken in the draft but if he becomes a top 25% CB, I’ll be happy.
As I repeated annoyingly throughout last year I never had one bit of concern regarding Okudah turning into a top shelf CB. Now he may always be more lock down than playmaker but he’s just too talented and with too spotless of character to bust (sans injury).
You forgot to mention that he had the highest % coverage snaps by rookies against top 10 WRs = 42.6% of his snaps. It was trial-by-fire. Hopefully, the reported bounce back is on target for this kid.
I feel sorry for Okudah. It’s not his fault he was drafted where he was.
My expectations are very low for him, based on the athletic ability I saw on the field last year. Very low. I’m hoping his core injury is what caused the slow foot speed.
He never displayed any real speed at OSU, but of course he didn’t have to. He had the best d-line in the country, and played against primarily horrible big 10 passing offenses. BQ’s pea sized brain never considered those two things.
BQ was too focused on trying to offset the Slay debacle, and never considered a player at another position. Just an awful way to run a team. Good riddance.
Except in the opinion of most Draftniks Okudah was the highest ranked player available at number 3OA.
Sounds a lot like Goff’s rookie season.
Over drafted?
worst offensive system in football
No OL
Talented with spotless character record
Yup! 
You could add some other things to that from last year:
- he had Slay in his ear telling him how awful the coaches were (sad but true).
- his secondary coach, Steve Gregory, had exactly one year of prior coaching experience as Syracuse special teams coach. He was way in over his head,
- his D coordinator, Corey Undlin, had no clue and was a desperate hire after Patricia couldn’t get anyone notable to replace Paul P.
- a potential mentor, Desmond Trufant, was hurt after six games and apparently checked out.
Okudah had zero resources last year - zero!
Okudah is going to turn into a pro bowler. As others have stated…he has the work ethic and character.
That STILL doesn’t mean you pick him @ 3.
There is a reason the previous regime was let go. Stupid mistakes like this.
CB’s simply don’t get picked that high for a reason.
This is not a knock on the player. I will be rooting for him to succeed.
Okudah provided the challenge, but it sounds like AmonRa won the reps! I fell like Okudah will improve alot, but we’ve got to consider this almost like his rookie year. And not expect him to be ‘shut-down’ this year. Maybe next year or the year after.
And I agree that picking him at 3 wasn’t ideal…yet I’m rooting for him too. Picking him at 7 or 8 would have been ok. I would have loved to see what the current regime would have done with that pick.
They would have taken a QB and traded him draft day for more draft capital.
Exactly.
Have to just laugh at people parroting the “why did some draft experts have him rated #3?” phrase.
Anyone who actually watched football (rather than copy and paste draft articles) knew he didn’t have the athletic ability to warrant anything close to that draft position.
I still root for him to at least be a decent starter. That would be a big step, and a win for the new staff.
I think they would’ve taken DT Brown—especially given the woeful lack of DL talent in the roster last year.
I wanted him last year (in a trade down scenario)
I wanted Brown or a trade down. Didn’t happen, oh well.
I have wanted Okudah to succeed ever since he was drafted. I think Aubrey Pleasant and Aaron Glenn couldn’t have come along at a better time for him and the other young members of our secondary.
Sure but it was a weak draft so the Lions didn’t exactly miss out on much passing on Simmons, Brown etc. for Okudah. Of course it’s too early to make judgements on any of these guys after one season, in a COVID landscape.