Seahawks Draft Profile: Michael Ojemudia
Over the course of the next several months, the Seahawks and 31 other teams will be evaluating the latest crop of incoming talent in preparation for the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Seahawks need to address the cornerback position in the upcoming draft. As fans may know, John Schneider and Pete Carroll have rarely expended picks on cornerbacks earlier than day two of the draft. Giving Michael Ojedmudia a look as a developmental depth pick to push the outside cornerbacks could be pick that bears fruit in the coming seasons.
Strengths
While playing for the University of Iowa, Ojemudia was at his best when he was utilized as a zone corner and as a result, he would benefit from playing in a similar scheme. He has shown most success when he can give cushion to his receiver and read the play in front of him. In doing so, he is able to read an underneath route, put his foot in the ground, and drive toward the ball. This allows him to undercut receivers and create an opportunity for a turnover.
Ojemudia stands a solid 6-foot-1 at 200 pounds and has a 32 1/4-inch arm length according to draftscout.com. Those measurable have served him well in both tackling and coverage, as he can use his length to matchup with taller receivers.
Taking advantage of that length, the interceptions that I saw on film were when Ojemudia was playing in a soft Cover 2, where his responsibility is the flat routes, and it gives him an opportunity to sit underneath the intermediate route as well.
One of Ojemudia's best traits is that he is a willing tackler who had no problem putting his body in harm’s way for the Hawkeyes. On multiple occasions, he attacked running backs with a ferocity that is not typical among cornerbacks. He also was effective in defending screens, or essentially any route that is in front of him. If a receiver does come down with the ball, he is quick to wrap up the receiver around the waist and prevent any yards after the catch.
Weaknesses
Despite being a bigger-bodied corner, Ojemudia doesn’t do much from a press coverage standpoint. I foresee him getting outmatched on the outside against more physical wideouts because he doesn't have great success jamming at the line.
When matched up against Michael Pittman of USC, there were numerous occasions where the star receiver had him beat, but the Trojans quarterback failed to find him downfield. If Ojemudia steps up and plays tight to a receiver, he does little to impede the release. He needs to be more active with his hands at the line of scrimmage to direct the receiver into the schemed coverage.
Ojemudia isn't the most fluid athlete in his transitions and relies heavily on looking into the backfield. As a result, he is susceptible to double moves or any deception on routes by opposing receivers. He could use some refinement on recognizing routes if he intends to read the quarterback to ensure he can protect against big pass plays.
Unfortunately, once Ojemudia does get caught peeking in the backfield, he doesn't have the elite speed to compensate in coverage. Regardless of how he runs at the combine, he is purely a zone corner and would struggle to chase receivers in man coverage.
Where He Fits in Seattle
If Pete Carroll can refine Ojemudia's abilities as a press cover corner, he could develop into a serviceable depth prospect behind Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers. By improving his physicality, he would also be a solid matchup defender against tight ends in a similar manner to how Akeem King was used against Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce two years ago.
Moving forward, Ojemudia needs a solid combine to boost his stock in the 3-cone drill and the 40-yard dash. His long wingspan and measurables certainly warrant a look from the Seahawks. With his skills as a tackler, he would start his career as a gunner on special teams while he learns the ropes in the secondary.
From that standpoint, Ojemudia could be an excellent replacement for Neiko Thorpe, who is an unrestricted free agent. If the Seahawks find him available on day three of the draft, he would be an interesting late-round project for secondary guru Pete Carroll to develop.
