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Strengths: Size, long arms and strength.
Weaknesses: Overly aggressive, loses track of ball and poor tackling
Strengths: Size, long arms and strength.
Weaknesses: Overly aggressive, loses track of ball and poor tackling
Strengths: Size, long arms and strength.
Weaknesses: Overly aggressive, loses track of ball and poor tackling
Strengths: Size, long arms and strength.
Weaknesses: Overly aggressive, loses track of ball and poor tackling
A look at how the Seattle Seahawks could attack the 2020 NFL draft, including taking a quarterback early and three defensive ends.
The NFL draft is just a few short days away, and the Seattle Seahawks are currently holding onto seven picks they will use to make the roster better in 2020.
The Seahawks Wire is releasing their fourth and final mock draft of the season. Using Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator, we made a trade back (as per tradition) and selected eight total players we believe the Seahawks could or should target in the draft this year.
Stay tuned for an unexpected selection in the second round, and a wrap up at the end, which includes the rationale for not taking a receiver, despite the stellar crop of talent at that position in this class.
Lions 2020 NFL Draft: A cornerback for every round
The Detroit Lions are almost certain to select at least one cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s a need both in the short-term following the Darius Slay trade, as well as the long-term.
How highly the Lions prioritize upgrading the CB position remains to be seen. They have appealing options throughout the draft. Here is one corner prospect for each round of the draft, divided up by days of the selection process.
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The presumptive pick at No. 3 is there for good reason. Okudah is the most polished, highest-ceiling cornerback in recent memory. Adept at man coverage, strong in press coverage, comfortable in zone, capable of making big plays in any scheme, that’s Okudah. He’s a rare talent for his position, a better and more physical all-around prospect than his Ohio State predecessor, Denzel Ward, who went No. 4 overall in 2018 and earned a Pro Bowl spot as a rookie.
Breaking down the draft profile of Iowa CB Michael Ojemudia, a potential pick for the Packers in the 2020 draft.
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
The Cardinals get help on offense and defense but not at the positions most people expect.
We are near the end of the mock drafts and this latest from Dane Brugler of The Athletic has the Arizona Cardinals doing the unthinkable. While most would say the Cardinals are certain to focus on two positions — offensive tackle and receiver — Brugler’s seven-round mock draft has them taking neither position at any point in the draft. ‘
Here is this mock draft plays out.
This definitely would not be the first time Brown is projected to go to the Cardinals. He fills a need and some believe he is one of the best players in the draft. He very possibly is a starter on the defensive line with Corey Peters and Jordan Phillips to open the season. In this mock draft, the only offensive lineman not available is Tristan Wirfs. Will the Cardinals pass on three of the other tackles and all the receivers?
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A full mock draft three weeks out.
The Indianapolis Colts are just a few weeks away from the 2020 NFL draft, which is still scheduled to begin on April 23. As those weeks approach quickly, we will be looking at which prospects might be targets for Indy.
As we enter the month of April, we are getting somewhat of a clearer picture on how the Colts might go about their draft. It’s still a crapshoot, especially this year with everything going on, but it is still fun to take a look at some mock drafts and see what type of hauls the Colts might wind up with.
Here’s a look at another full mock draft for the Colts with the big event just under three weeks away using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator:
With free agency mostly over and the Colts coming out of what was their busiest time on the open market since Chris Ballard took over, one thing became clear: the Colts are looking to invest heavily into the wide receiver position during the draft.
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How that will fall remains to be seen but in this simulation, the Colts got a tried and true X-receiver. Shenault Jr. might have some concern with the injury that caused him to run a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash at the combine but if he’s available at No. 34, the Colts are going to have to think about choosing him over most other prospects.
Shenault is perfect for the West Coast offense of the Colts. He has the size, strength and explosiveness to work on the outside and his ability to beat the press makes him an ideal pick. He’s extremely savvy after the catch and makes defenders miss with ease.
If Shenault is added to the wide receiver room, the group just got a whole lot more interesting for 2020.
Entering the month of April, here’s a full mock draft.
The Indianapolis Colts have entered the month of April, which means the 2020 NFL draft is right around the corner—and a new crop of rookies is set to arrive in Indy.
While we still don’t have a true idea of how the Colts will go about their draft, some of the moves in free agency point toward a certain approach when they are on the clock on Day 2.
After heavily addressing the defense in free agency, here’s a look at a mock draft for the Colts entering the month of April using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator:
Cleveland already has ties to the Colts in the pre-draft process. He’s had contact with the Colts even though meetings are prohibited in person. Even with Anthony Castonzo returning, Cleveland would be the perfect eventual successor on the left side.
What intrigues Cleveland the most in going to the Colts is his technique on the outside. He’s very proficient in run blocking and has that aggressive, mauler attitude that the Colts love in their offensive linemen.
Couple in the fact that he’s an excellent athlete and he seems like the perfect offensive line prospect in the draft for Indy.
The Seattle Seahawks love zone corners with length, and Iowa’s Michael Ojemudia could be a target for them in the later rounds.
The Seattle Seahawks addressed a major area of need last week when they traded a fifth round pick to the Washington Redskins in exchange for cornerback Quinton Dunbar.
Dunbar is coming of an excellent season, and should start right away opposite Shaquill Griffin – pushing third-year man Tre Flowers to the bench.
However, the Seahawks likely aren’t done adding defensive backs to the roster, as last year’s backups – Neiko Thorpe and Akeem King – are both unrestricted free agents.
Now that Seattle does not need to look for front of the line starters in either the draft or free agency, adding more depth to their secondary will be a big key for this team’s offseason going forward.
No stranger to finding defensive back gems in the later rounds of the NFL draft, John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll will no doubt have their eyes peeled for a lengthy DB with one of their final picks in April’s draft.
One of the many options they will likely consider is Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia.
Ojemudia is six-foot-one with 32 1/4 inch long arms, giving him the required length to play cover-3 in Carroll’s scheme.
Scouting reports like his length, physicality and awareness in zone coverage, although he is lacking the instinct and burst to be successful in man coverage – once again making him a good fit for the Seahawks.
He’s unlikely to challenge for a starting role right away – if at all – but as a depth corner and core special teamer, Ojemudia is a good fit right away for Seattle.
Plus, coach Carroll can put his ability to turn non-prospect corners with length into superstars to the test if they pursue Ojemudia.
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Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Iowa cornerback prospect Michael Ojemudia
Ojemudia is a lengthy, fluid and intelligent cornerback who offers potential as a boundary corner at the next level. He isn’t a great tackler and his speed is average on tape, so that may knock his stock a little bit, but he has the tools to develop into a solid starter at the next level.
Height | 6-1
Weight | 200
Iowa has produced plenty of talented defensive backs in recent years, and Ojemudia looks to be the next product in that assembly line of defenders.
At 6-foot-1 with a long wingspan, Ojemudia possesses plenty of length that gives him upside playing on the boundary. He isn’t afraid of getting physical at the line of scrimmage, as he has shown the ability to engage with receivers in quick-jam press and lock them up right at the snap. He can fight through box-out attempts pretty well too, which helps him out in jump-ball situations and when defending routes across the middle of the field in man coverage. Ojemudia complements that length and physicality with solid overall fluidity, as he can flip his hips well and change direction fluidly for his size. He plays with good footwork and pad level in his backpedal and has good overall patience in coverage.
Ojemudia isn’t just a tools prospect; he offers a high football IQ and instincts in man coverage. He is quick to read the eyes of the quarterback and diagnose the play, allowing him to act upon his reads to make a play on the ball. He tracks the ball down well and has impressive ball skills for the cornerback position. When engaged in tight man coverage, he is able to get his hands inside the frame of the opposition pretty well. He has a good feel for his safeties’ responsibilities, so he is able to determine what decision to make in zone coverage to ensure the opposing team doesn’t march down the field. The production is there with him, as well: he had 6 interceptions and 15 pass deflections in his last two seasons at Iowa.
Though Ojemudia ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at the Combine, his game speed isn’t necessarily reflective of that time. He doesn’t have stellar long speed when guarding vertical routes and can struggle against speedy wideouts in man coverage. He has enough quickness to be serviceable in that regard, but a lack of top-end athletic ability will likely limit him to guarding ‘X’ receivers on the boundary in the pros. He can be a bit too cushiony in zone coverage at times, and he doesn’t always have the downhill acceleration to effectively jump routes with consistency.
Ojemudia also struggles as a run defender. He doesn’t take very good angles as a tackler, and the effort with which he plays in run support is pretty lackluster on a down-by-down basis. His form isn’t all that polished, and he can stand to improve his ability to get his weight underneath him and play with good pad level as a tackler. He also can get better at shedding blocks.
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