PSO Scouting Report: CB Jeff Okudah (Ohio State)

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: CB

Hometown: Grand Prairie, TX

School: Ohio State

Class: Junior

Age: 21

Height: 6’1″ (81%) | Weight: 205 lbs (90%)

Hands: 9.13” (48%) | Arms: 32.63” (88%)

Bench: 11 reps (21%) | 40-YD: 4.48s (58%)

Facts to Know

Unanimous All-American, 1st-Team All-Big Ten (2019)
5-star high school recruit (#8 overall in 2017)
Less than 50 yards allowed in every game the last 2 seasons (52.9 passer rating)
Just a 42.4% completion percentage when targeted since 2018

Physical Tools

This is teach tape. Short, choppy steps. His feet are light and always underneath him. He has his shoulders over his toes with easy lateral hip transitions, all while keeping his eyes up. Okudah is an absolute stud. Ballerina feet. pic.twitter.com/UO7bKscwRi
— Jordan Reid (@JReidNFL) March 2, 2020

Pros

Great frame (6’1”, 205 lbs)
Ideal length — 32.63” arms (88th percentile)
Extremely explosive lower body
41″ vertical (95th percentile), 135″ broad jump (99th percentile)
Terrific agility and short-area quickness
141 SPARQ rating (99th percentile)
Incredibly fluid all-around athlete

Cons

Just 11 bench reps (21st percentile)
Near average recovery speed — 4.48s 40-YD (58th percentile)

Grade: A

Game Film

Pros

Incredible footwork and hip fluidity
Elite match-and-mirror ability
Extremely relaxed and patient — doesn’t panic or get too grabby
Fantastic spatial awareness
Very physical yet controlled and disciplined
Powerful jab at the LOS to disrupt releases
Plays much faster than his 40 time would indicate

Cons

Average ball skills — disruptive at the catch point but only caught 3 INTs
Lacks extended experience in zone coverage, but showed he can handle it
Powerful hitter but not a great tackler

Grade: A-

Production

Pros

Unanimous All-American, 1st-Team All-Big Ten (2019)
Never allowed more than 50 yards in a single game
42% completion rate since 2018 (45/106)
52.9 passer rating allowed since 2018
Unreal 18.8 passer rating allowed against intermediate throws (10-19 yards)
Excellent 85.9 PFF coverage grade in 2019
19% forced incompletion rate, 11 forced incompletions (T-58th)

Cons

Below-average run defense production
0 forced turnovers before 2019. 4 career turnovers in 35 GP

Grade: A

Risk

Pros

Ideal athleticism, frame, length to play on the outside
Terrific production in the Big 10
Top-tier man coverage ability
Plays with great physicality but maintains control
Passionate, intelligent, confident, and motivated
Consistent and technically-sound

Cons

Very physical but an average tackler at best
Not necessarily a turnover machine
Might lack top-end recovery speed

Grade: A-

Overall

The first Unanimous All-American CB in Ohio State history, Jeff Okudah is one of the most technically-refined college corners in recent memory. Along with some of the most impressive footwork and hips, Okudah has a terrific frame and overall athletic profile. Incredibly sticky in man-to-man, he’s terrific in press-man as his ability to jam the release and flip his hips to run down the sideline is second to none in this class, along with his short-area and reactionary quickness.

Okudah’s only relative weaknesses are long speed (4.48s) and tackling. The former didn’t appear to be an issue on film, as he was able to keep pace with every single WR without giving too much cushion. The latter will simply come along with coaching, as he plays with great physicality and can certainly bring the thunder for a CB.

Pro Comp: CB Jalen Ramsey (Los Angeles Rams)

Projected Round: Top-10 Pick

Prime Destinations: WAS, DET, NYG, JAX, NYJ

OVERALL Grade: A