The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia:
What he can do
– Tall, athletic cornerback (6-1, 200); ran 4.45 in the 40-yard dash, hit 36″ in the vertical leap and posted a 6.87 three-cone
– Looks the part on tape; long cornerback who can match up against tall receivers
– Named second-team All-Big Ten in 2019 by the Associated Press
– Deployed almost exclusively in zone coverage due to Iowa’s defensive scheme; played a lot of off coverage
– Not a great tackler, whiffs too often; effort isn’t a question
– Good foot quickness but doesn’t have much tape showing a true backpedal; shows stiff hips; had his back to the sideline with his eyes on the quarterback on many reps
– Shows good instincts; didn’t take many risks but kept everything in front of him, which limited big plays; has average hands and ball skills
– Lots of reps earlier in his career; has played a combined 1,641 defensive snaps over the last three seasons
– Could be better suited in a zone-heavy scheme because of his prior experience
– Finished with six interceptions, 17 passes defensed and 125 total tackles (1.5 for loss) in his college career
How he fits
Mike Pettine loves athletic cornerbacks capable of playing straight man-to-man coverage. Unfortunately, Ojemudia was deployed in zone coverage for the majority of his snaps at Iowa. When the Hawkeyes did deploy man coverage, cornerbacks almost always had safety help over the top.
Because of that, Ojemudia is more of a projection in the Packers’ defensive scheme. Green Bay plays a lot of press-man, and Ojemudia has little experience doing so. That said, he has many of the traits to be a successful man-cover corner. His length, speed and agility all fit the bill here. The technique is what will need to be taught.
NFL comp
PFF compared Ojemudia to current Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers, a converted safety. Both players are long corners with strong testing numbers, but had a lack of experience in man coverage with flawed technique coming out of college.
Where Packers could get him
Because Ojemudia is a developmental prospect, the Packers could likely wait until the fifth round (No. 175). If they wanted to be sure, grabbing him with their fourth-rounder (No. 136) may be wise.
Previous Prospects for the Pack
WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss
WR Michael Pittman
WR K.J. Hamler
WR John Hightower
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Troy Dye
LB Willie Gay Jr.
OT Jack Driscoll
WR Devin Duvernay
OT Ezra Cleveland
WR Van Jefferson
OT Andrew Thomas
S Grant Delpit
TE Cole Kmet
OT Tristan Wirfs
QB Jordan Love
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DB Jeremy Chinn
RB/WR Antonio Gibson
DL Jordan Elliott
DB K’Von Wallace
WR Bryan Edwards
DL Ross Blacklock
LB Logan Wilson
DL Justin Madubuike
RB Cam Akers
LB Malik Harrison
RB Darrynton Evans
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
WR Gabriel Davis
LB Josh Uche
CB Trevon Diggs
DB Terrell Burgess
OLB Terrell Lewis
CB A.J. Terrell
WR Quintez Cephus
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
QB Jalen Hurts
WR Tyler Johnson
IOL Cesar Ruiz
DB Ashtyn Davis
WR Quez Watkins
OT Ben Bartch
IOL Matt Hennessy
WR Isaiah Coulter
RB J.K. Dobbins
OT Lucas Niang
RB A.J. Dillon
TE Dalton Keene
DL Jason Strowbridge
TE Adam Trautman
WR Joe Reed