Deion Sanders
Rod Woodson
Darrell Green
Champ Bailey
Darrelle Revis
Darius Slay
I’m sure you can add more. Is it fair to say that most of the best modern-day CB’s all ran a sub 4.4 forty?!?!
How many TD’s did Darrell Green save in his career?
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Looks like they should have been playing him at safety.
Donte Jackson
Parry Nickerson
Adoree Jackson
Eli Apple
Ronald Darby
Trae Waynes
Justin Gilbert
Bradley Roby
Dee Milliner
Robert Alford
Coty Sensabaugh
Buster Skrine
Prince Amukamara
All at 4.40 and under, and that’s just over the past decade.
Also don’t forget Revis skipped the combine and turned in his 40 time at his pro day. How different would this discussion have been if Okudah had done the same and turned in a 4.37 on Ohio State’s notoriously fast track?
Not sure we need to measure Jeff Okudah vs. all-time greats (and Slay does not really belong on that list). Can’t we just complain about Okudah’s draft position for the next 5 years?
I’d settle for a perennial all-pro type myself. And neither of last year’s 1st team all-pros, Stephon Gilmore (4.4) and Tre’Davious White (4.47), were sub 4.3s. Nor were either of the 2nd team, Richard Sherman (4.56) and Marcus Peters (4.53).
I’d be quite happy if Okudah has a career like any of last year’s all pros. That’s what I think his ceiling is. And if he does we’re still going to hear things like, sure Jeff is an all pro, I just wouldn’t take him at #3OA. 
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So we should just sign guys off the US track team or all the fast nfl prospects that busted. Got it.
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Speed & why this trait is desirable? Recovery on unforced & forced errors made by CB’s …it’s a plus, not something that defines a floor or ceiling .
The last 20 years of the draft had only 4 CB’s that were drafted and performed at the combine with these measurable’s & athletic testing numbers …
Plus 6ft tall , +200 lbs , a Vertical Jump of +40 , a Broad Jump of +130
2003 Charles Tillman, 35th pick, Wonderlic Score-17
2013 Xavier Rhodes, 25th pick, Wonderlic Score- 22
2016 Jalen Ramsey 5th pick, Wonderlic Score- 24
2020 Jeffrey Okudah, 3rd pick, Wonderlic Score- 30
None of the four CB’s ran a sub 4.4 forty yard dash… but they all ran the forty at 4.49 or below, all were in the in the 4.4’s .
None of these four benched pressed 225 more than 14 reps…arm length is a detriment to reps.
Seems the draft value of these CB’s with real length and these athletic traits & measurable’s gets higher by the year, along with the Wonderlic scores …
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When you have the skills Okudah does you don’t need to have 4.3 speed. A 4.48 is more than enough. Not to mention Okudah has elite burst where at times he looks like he is trailing a receiver when all he is really doing is playing perfect coverage and baiting the QB.
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Big difference when its a receiver from Tulane or Minnesota, versus a receiver from the NFL.
My problem with drafting Okudah so high, is the fact that the Big Ten has weak receivers, and he had Chase Young forcing the QB to get rid of the ball quickly. Plus, Okudah held ALL DAY long and got away with it. Won’t happen in the NFL.
I’m not saying he is going to bust, I’m just saying it’s certainly possible he was overrated, due to the above circumstances. We won’t know for a while (2-3 years), so I’m not too worked up about it. I truly hope the kid is great for us.
Will be interesting to follow the careers of Brown, Simmons, Henderson, and Kinlaw.
Speed ain’t Everything !!!..How many teams has Eli Apple been on by now???..I’d rather have a somewhat slower CB, who knows where to be at all times, than a CB who relies on his speed to cover a WR…Every day of the Week !!!..Sensabaugh, Prince Amukamara, Dee Milliner???..Don’t make me laugh…Toooo Funny… 
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So which one of those guys did you want?
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Speed is important but imho so is:
1. Strength to play bump and run
2. Burst to close when the receiver cuts
3. fluid rotation to turn and run on the deep routes
Long arms can’t hurt
Swagger (even though it can be annoying) because you’re going to get beat sometimes. Probably mental toughness would be a better phrase.
Elite speed is a plus but 4.4 vs 4.5 can be compensated for.
I’m already an Okudah fan and he hasn’t played a Lions snap yet. Man the media is powerful.
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On the football field Okudah is quite fast.
I swear there’s some Tabor derangement syndrome or something.
You guys don’t have to be worry about El Jefe. He’s really, really good.
Richard Sherman. You can be a great NFL corner and have slow footspeed. It’s just far more unlikely and you need a good coach who can help cover up weaknesses in a player’s game. I wouldn’t consider Okudah slow by any stretch, but I am just giving an example of a player who disproves the foot speed is everything mindset.
Speaking of corners that run above 4.40, I really hope they give Bobby Price a look at CB. From his highlight video and measurables he reminds me a lot of Tre Flowers.
This matters. There were guys that used to kick my ass in track, but I could run them down on the football field. (small class c school, but it’s still a thing).
For sure. Do you ever remember Jerry Rice getting caught from behind? I’m sure he did at some point, but most every time he’s pulling away. I think he ran 4.6 coming out of college.
Okudah is never going to do the freakish speed related things that Darrel Green did. And that’s totally okay, because we’re talking Darrel freaking Green here.
I’ll be surprised if Okudah isn’t one of the board’s favorite players by season’s end. I think it will be a consensus.
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None
Um… no… hard no… do you NO the posters here? No one without class would ever admit that kinda shit. At least half the posters here have locked I to the opinions of those whom shall remain nameless ( because nearly half of the posters here have those few (two) ignored or are appreciating the solace of ‘they’re not posting’… lol
Good point
I wasnt the biggest fan of drafting Okudha but his speed is not a problem. A 4.49 at 200 lbs is pretty good.
I really like his length with a 6’4 wing span. That length should pose problems for wrs. I’ll take a 4.49 40 with a 6’4 wing span over let’s say a 4.39 with a 5’10 wing span.
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