The Detroit Lions drafted three Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2020 NFL Draft, including No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah. To help break down what the Lions are getting in the Columbus contingent, I turned to old friend Dan Hope, who covers Buckeye athletics for Eleven Warriors. He’s at every practice and has watched Okudah, Jonah Jackson and Jashon Cornell develop into NFL players.
Hope also offers a tidbit on why the Lions might have leaned so heavily on Ohio State talents in this unusual draft cycle.
Jeff Okudah seems like a home run pick at No. 3 overall. How does he compare as a prospect to predecessors like Denzel Ward and Marshon Lattimore, both worthy Pro Bowlers?
Ohio State has had seven cornerbacks selected in the first round of the past seven NFL drafts, and I think Okudah might be the best prospect of any of them coming out of college. He has prototypical physical traits, was dominant in coverage this past season and he’s also excellent against the run. There are no real weaknesses in his game, and I expect him to be ready to start immediately as a rookie. Ward and Lattimore have set the bar really high for him, but he’s more than capable of reaching it and establishing himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
Is there any type of receiver or situation where Okudah needs to improve?
There’s always room to improve, but Okudah just didn’t get beat very often at Ohio State, especially in his junior season under the tutelage of former NFL secondary coach Jeff Hafley. He didn’t have any interceptions until his final season as a Buckeye, but he had three in 2019, and he has ball skills – passes just weren’t thrown his way very often.
Okudah spent most of his Ohio State career playing in press man coverage, so he’s not as experienced in zone, but he thrived in the Buckeyes’ transition to a hybrid coverage scheme last year. He didn’t face a ton of elite receivers in the Big Ten, so he’ll certainly be in for a step up in competition, and he doesn’t have much experience playing in the slot, though I’d imagine the Lions plan to play him primarily outside.
It’s hard to poke many holes in Okudah’s game, though, because of how consistently he dominated his competition at Ohio State.
Okudah seems like a quiet, no-nonsense kind of guy. Does that change on the practice field and during games, like an intensity button we’ve seen with some players?
I’d describe Okudah as someone who’s very serious in going about his business, and definitely not someone who I’d ever expect to have any issues with work ethic on the field or behavior off the field. He’s not much of a trash talker, but he exudes a quiet confidence, and he’s both smart and mature. He repeatedly drew praise from his coaches at Ohio State for his competitiveness and dedication to his craft, and that’s evident by how locked in he always looks to be when he’s on the field.
Jonah Jackson had just one year at Ohio State after transferring from Rutgers. How quickly did he assimilate to his new teammates and scheme?
Jackson’s transition to Ohio State appeared to be as smooth as anyone could have hoped for. After arriving at Ohio State last summer, Jackson was running with the first-team offensive line from the first day of preseason practice, and it was evident that he hit it off with his teammates immediately. Jackson’s coaches praised the veteran leadership and professional approach he brought to the offensive line as a graduate transfer, and he provided excellent play at left guard all season. While Wyatt Davis garnered deserved All-American recognition at right guard, I’d argue that Jackson played just as well as Davis in 2019, and probably deserved more recognition than he got.
Is Jackson capable of playing either guard spot, or is he better-served sticking on the right or left?
Jackson started at both right guard and center at Rutgers before playing left guard for his entire season at Ohio State, so he’s capable of playing all three interior offensive line positions. As well as he played at left guard last season, that’s probably the best spot for him – where he could play alongside fellow Buckeye product Taylor Decker in Detroit – but his experience playing at all three positions will give the Lions options.
Jashon Cornell didn’t get much publicity. What are the Lions getting in the 7th-rounder?
Cornell is a 3-technique defensive tackle who I’d expect to be a rotational player in the NFL. He didn’t make a ton of flashy plays at Ohio State, but he has good quickness at 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds and was stout against the run last season, his only season as a regular starter for the Buckeyes. He also played defensive end for part of his career at Ohio State, so he has the versatility to play both inside and outside, though he doesn’t offer much as an edge rusher. I was a little surprised he got drafted, but I think he can make the Lions’ roster as a backup.
Were the Lions a visible presence around Ohio State practices/games last year? Drafting three Buckeyes shows quite a bit of familiarity.
As much talent as Ohio State has year in and year out, the Buckeyes typically attract scouts from all 32 NFL teams to practices and games over the course of the year. Here’s a nugget, though, that most people probably don’t know: Two members of the Lions’ scouting department, Scott Sika (who actually played for the Buckeyes) and Ron Miles, graduated from Ohio State and worked for the football program before becoming NFL scouts.
Given the unusual circumstances of this year’s draft, I definitely wonder whether their familiarity with the program and connections to the staff played a part in the Lions selecting three Buckeyes this year.