Should Jeff Okudah Switch to Safety?
This week, Detroit Lions rookie cornerback Jeff Okudah went under the knife to fix a core muscle injury -- commonly known as a sports hernia -- that he has been dealing with since his days at Ohio State.
After already missing time in recent weeks with a shoulder ailment, Okudah’s inaugural season has come to an end.
Being that Okudah was a top-three selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, expectations were understandably high. So far, he has not lived up to the hype.
Make no mistake, Okudah’s situation was likely the worst possible spot for any rookie cornerback. A heavy man-to-man scheme, no pass rush and a shortened offseason all factored into his struggles.
No cornerback has found great success under former head coach Matt Patricia's or Cory Undlin's defensive scheme in Detroit.
Cornerbacks don't always have an easy transition to the NFL.
Looking solely at the nine highly drafted corners from the first two rounds of the 2020 draft, A.J. Terrell is the only one with an overall Pro Football Focus grade above 60. Okudah will end the season with a 41.8 overall grade.
If there was one bright spot in Okudah’s game, it was his ability in the run game.
Per PFF, Okudah has currently the third-highest run-defense grade among all qualifying cornerbacks in the NFL.
That’s not why you take a cornerback so high in the draft, though.
Coverage ability is paramount, and Okudah is dead last at the position in PFF coverage grade.
Brad Rempel, USA TODAY Sports
With Okudah’s strengths, there have been some fan rumblings that a position change to safety could better suit his skill set.
Okudah has the size, tenacity and demeanor that could potentially fit well playing on the back end.
Typically, the safety position relies heavily on instincts, and that’s something that can’t exactly be measured. That’s a complete unknown for Okudah.
Despite still having above-average speed for a corner, he isn’t considered a burner by any means. However, there are still plenty of corners in the NFL who are slower than Okudah -- albeit not usually in heavy man coverage schemes.
There were times in coverage this past season where Okudah didn’t look like he could keep up with some of the league’s fastest wideouts.
There were also times where he seemed hesitant or a step slow with reacting. That is a common theme among youngsters learning the ropes.
It’s also one of the reasons why corners can make a big jump when the game starts slowing down a bit from a mental-processing standpoint.
It’s also the reason why it’s premature to give a high-potential player who is still progressing in his current position another curveball.
Remember, Okudah’s quick feet, hip fluidity and experience in man coverage in college were big reasons why he was so highly regarded coming into the NFL. Those traits are still there, and he needs to continue to develop.
Who knows what the next head coach will deploy as a defense in 2021.
Maybe the next head coach will run more zone, emphasize rushing the passer and set the defensive secondary up to succeed.
Marry all those factors, plus restored health and more experience, and there should be marked improvement from Okudah next season.
If not, then, it will be time to be very concerned.
If Okudah continues to struggle in the future and the safety route is one of the last resorts in an effort to salvage his career, then, go for it.
But, it is still far too early to entertain the idea.
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