Jeff Okudah Listed as Player Who Could Blossom Into NFL Star

Normally, NFL players drafted with a top-three pick are not viewed as projects.

For Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah, his first season in the National Football League could not have gone any worse.

Detroit's first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft allowed a completion 76 percent of the time when targeted, and allowed a 112 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus.

While the majority of defensive backs struggle their first season in the league, Okudah was not able to gain much traction on Detroit's defense, fueling talk that drafting a cornerback that high in the draft simply isn't worth it.

"I feel like this year, just kind of moving around now and not having that pain in my groin anymore, it just feels like a different level. So, I'm excited to get with Aubrey Pleasant, craft it up and see what it turns out to be," Okudah told reporters earlier this offseason.

In a recent Bleacher Report list of young players who could blossom into NFL stars, Okudah was among the players included.

"A coaching staff overhaul could very well resuscitate a promising prospect's career. First, last year's third overall pick had to get healthy since he dealt with a nagging groin injury throughout the 2020 campaign," Brent Sobleski explained.

Detroit has overhauled its defensive coaching staff, giving the second-year defensive back confidence he can make a turnaround.

First-year Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn played the position, and defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant has earned the respect of members of the roster very early in his tenure.

Sobleski added, "Clearly, the Lions invested in Okudah for a reason. The cornerback's talent didn't disappear. Now, he's fully healthy and mentally prepared to take on the responsibilities of a top cover man."

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