Ohio State's Jeff Okudah on Thursday could become just the sixth cornerback to be selected with a top-five pick since 2000.
"I think it's big time," Okudah told Sporting News. "As a freshman, coming in and watching Denzel (Ward) go about his business and three years later I'm almost in the same predicament as he was in. I just think it's cool that everything has come full circle."
In this case, full circle means Okudah did what was expected with the Buckeyes. He will become the 14th cornerback taken in the first round from the school since 1991. SN’s Vinnie Iyer projects Okudah will be taken by the Detroit Lions with the No. 3 pick.
Okudah’s jouney at Ohio State, however, was uniquely challenging. His mother Marie died just six days after he arrived on campus. The five-star cornerback from Grand Praire, Texas, leaned on his classmates, including fellow Texas natives J.K. Dobbins and Baron Browning, during that trying time. That support off the field turned out to be every bit as important to Okudah's success as the coaching on it.
MORE: Ohio State's first-round cornerback pipeline
"It meant a lot," Okudah said. "That was really big for me in the moment because I didn't feel like I was homesick. I had guys I could talk to about anything. J.K. kind of went through the same situation. I was able to keep my head on straight."
Okudah stayed focused, learning from defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs his freshman year and maintaining those lessons with co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley through 2019. Ohio State is one of the football factories where practice reps sometimes count most, given the elite talent on campus.
"You don't really get your confidence in games as much as you get from in practice, at least for me," he said. "Our practices felt almost like games. When you are going against our offense, you kind of know where you are at already."
Okudah played in every game as a freshman, working into a starting role. That's when he started to hear more from the other cornerbacks in that long line. Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, Bradley Roby, Eli Apple and Kendall Sheffield are all active in the NFL now.
"It's crazy," he said. "Once you are the starting cornerback at Ohio State you pretty much have the expectation to be a first-rounder and then go to the NFL. The guys are a tight brotherhood. They are always giving pointers and giving tips. That inspires the next guy to kind of follow in the same suit."
In 2019, that meant flipping a defense that allowed 404 yards per game in 2018. Those former defensive backs sent a message before the season.
"They had a DB video montage of all the DBs in a video," Okudah said. "They kind of told us we need to bring the secondary back to an elite level."
Ohio State trimmed that number to 260 yards per game. Okudah and defensive end Chase Young — projected to be the No. 2 pick — were All-Americans who led that defense. Okudah is considered one of the best cover cornerbacks in the draft, but he believes that physical style will separate him at the next level. That mind set started in the weight room with strength coach Mickey Marotti.
"The philosophy is you want corners who are tough, physical and can tackle," Okudah said. "Coach Mick he would tell us straight up before the game, 'Don't come back in the facility if you are getting embarrassed in the running game with your tackling.' When you hear that, you know you have to get after it."
MORE: Why Joe Burrow's connection to Ohio means more than ever ahead of NFL Draft
Cornerbacks are a rarity in the top five, but those lessons are what make Okudah one of the safer picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. Okudah impressed at the NFL Combine, and even finished his workout after an awkward fall.
He likely will join that list of elite cornerbacks, and the next expectation is to become a Pro Bowl-caliber player. That is the standard Ohio State corners are held to.
"It's never losing a competitive edge," Okudah said. "I believe that competition makes the best of everybody, so it's about never losing that edge."
Okudah worked with Old Spice on their #NFLDraftRedCarpet campaign, which will include virtual videos on Thursday before the first round. "I won't get too dressed up, but I won't be sweats either," Okudah said. That opportunity allows for prospects to experience the NFL Draft despite not being able to be in Las Vegas because of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United State. "They've made the best of the experience, and I'm just grateful," Okudah said. "To have the opportunity to make this work."
