Former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah was traded to the Atlanta Falcons.
Jeff Okudah will begin his career as the Falcons’ new No. 2 cornerback.
Jeff Okudah, a former Ohio State cornerback, will find a new home in 2023.
The Detroit Lions are reportedly dealing the former Buckeyes’ standout defender to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round choice. With the No. 8 overall pick, the Falcons were anticipated to target one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
Okudah was drafted with the third overall pick in 2020, and his tenure in Detroit was met with mixed opinions. After gaining the starting job out of training camp, the 6-1 corner sustained a hamstring injury that kept him out of the starting lineup for the start of the regular season. He was forced to miss the final six games due to a groin ailment.
Okudah tore his Achilles tendon against the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener in 2021, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. In 2022, he rebounded and showed promise in coverage, starting 15 games and recording 59 tackles, seven pass breakups, and an interception.
The Lions were aggressive in addressing their secondary this summer, bringing in Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Garnder-Johnson. Detroit has also been linked to a number of high-profile draft prospects, including Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, and Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr.
Detroit, which has two first-round picks at Nos. 6 and 18, might use one of them to add a defensive back, making Okduah expendable. If Atlanta chooses to pick up his fifth-year option, he will have a fresh start with the NFC South franchise for at least two seasons.
Okudah was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a unanimous All-American in 2019 after compiling 34 tackles, nine pass breakups, three interceptions, and a forced fumble in his Ryan Day era.
In three years with the Buckeyes, Okudah registered 83 tackles, 18 pass breakups, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was the consensus top cornerback prospect in the 2020 Draft.
Okudah now joins a revamped defense under new coordinator Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta. This offseason, the Falcons put an emphasis on upgrading their 27th-ranked defen that included the additions of safety Jessie Bates III, defensive linemen Calais Campbell and David Onyemata, nickel defender Mike Hughes and linebacker Kaden Ellis. Atlanta also re-signed leading pass rusher Lorenzo Carter to a two-year deal worth $9 million.
Okudah is likely to contend for the No. 2 corner spot opposite A.J. Terrell with Casey Hayward. Terrell, a former Clemson standout, was picked with the 16th overall choice in the 2020 draft.
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