Former Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah Traded To Atlanta Falcons
Former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah will have a new home in 2023.
According to reports, the Detroit Lions are trading the former Buckeyes' star defender to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick. The Falcons were expected to target one of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft with the No. 8 overall selection.
Drafted with the third overall pick in 2020, Okudah's time in the Motor City was met with mixed reviews. After earning the starting job out of training camp, the 6-1 corner suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the start of the regular season. A groin injury forced him to miss the final six games.
Okudah tore his Achilles tendon in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, forcing him to miss the remainder of the year. He bounced back in 2022 and showed promise in coverage, starting 15 games and recording 59 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception.
The Lions were aggressive this offseason fixing their secondary by adding Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Garnder-Johnson. Detroit also has been linked to several high-profile prospects in the upcoming draft, including Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Penn State's Joey Porter Jr.
Detroit, which owns two first-round picks at No. 6 and No. 18, could aim to add a defensive back early, making Okduah expendable. He'll now have a fresh start with the NFC South franchise for potentially two seasons if Atlanta elects to pick up his fifth-year option.
One of the premier defensive backs in the Ryan Day era, Okudah was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a unanimous All-American in 2019 after totaling 34 tackles, nine pass breakups, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
In three years with the Buckeyes, Okudah registered 83 tackles, 18 pass breakups, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was the consensus top cornerback prospect in the 2020 Draft.
Okudah now joins a revamped defense under new coordinator Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta. This offseason, the Falcons put an emphasis on upgrading their 27th-ranked defen that included the additions of safety Jessie Bates III, defensive linemen Calais Campbell and David Onyemata, nickel defender Mike Hughes and linebacker Kaden Ellis. Atlanta also re-signed leading pass rusher Lorenzo Carter to a two-year deal worth $9 million.
Okudah is expected to compete with Casey Hayward for the No. 2 corner job opposite A.J. Terrell. Terrell, a former Clemson standout, was the third cornerback selected in the 2020 draft with the No. 16 pick.