free agency is set to begin on March 18th and with the draft just over two months away there is still plenty of work that needs to be done to build this Cowboys roster. In the meantime the Cowboys have an important decisions to make about the cornerback position and it starts with former All-Pro Byron Jones.
With potential big money deals for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper there may not be enough available money left for Byron Jones which will create an immediate need at corner. In addition to Jones third year corner Anthony Brown is set to hit the open market. Luckily for this Cowboys team there are some intriguing cornerback prospects in a deep draft class that would be a great fit for this team. We take a look at seven cornerback prospects the cowboys could target in this years draft.
Jeffery Okudah, CB, Ohio St.
Listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, the junior finished the year with 34 tackles, three interceptions, nine passes defended, and one forced fumble and has established himself as the top corner and and one of best defensive prospects in this draft. Okudah shows a very patient process at the line of scrimmage, with smooth hips to open, turn and run with receivers. He is an excellent man corner who stays in the pocket of receivers and crowds the catch point.
With his combination of length and speed to match receivers he projects as a Day 1 starter. The Cowboys would have to hope Okudah slides some and also be willing to package picks to come up to get him.
What the experts say:
Jeff Okudah is going to be a star at the NFL level — there’s no coverage he can’t play, no role he can’t fill in the secondary. Okudah pairs prototypical size with trust in his technique and dynamic movement skills and should be a lockdown cornerback at the NFL level in just about any system. This is a top of the 1st-round caliber player that will excel in man or zone and can be used to mirror and erase the opposition’s best receiver in the NFL. A future Pro Bowl/All-Pro player.
Okudah is a competitor, and at times he does get chatty, but I have yet to see it affect his play. Another admiral trait is his work ethic while he was more of a rotational corner. Okudah has only been a true starter for a year, having rotated with Kendall Sheffield quite a bit in 2018. Still, he played his role with confidence, and when his number was called, he was chomping at the bit. Not every player responds well to sharing a role or coming off the bench, but Okudah not only stay prepared, but he pushed himself to get better. His play on the field has him locked into being a first-round pick, but it’s little details like those that make a difference when teams are discussing the top players in this draft. I see him as a top-10 selection heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, and it wouldn’t shock me one bit if he were gone before we got to pick five.
Head coach and general manager’s dream prospect with blue-chip physical traits, mental makeup and personal character. He has size, length and foot quickness to road-block press release and elite closing burst to close catch windows or eliminate yards after catch. He has room for improvement with his recognition and balance at the top of the route, but quarterbacks rarely target and beat him over the top. He has a rigid adherence to technique, but squeezing coverage even tighter and trusting his traits, talent and recovery speed could make him one of the top shutdown corners in the game.