Healthy Jeff Okudah can be Lions' most improved player

Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah was the third-overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft for a reason: he was the top lockdown defender coming out in 2020. But the Jim Thorpe Award finalist played in just nine games in his rookie campaign as injuries cut his season short.

Nevertheless, Cynthia Frelund, an NFL Network analytics expert, projected each NFL team’s most improved player in 2021 and named Okudah as the Lions’ projected most improved player.

Detroit defense shifting identity

The Lions brought in a new coaching staff this offseason, including at defensive coordinator. First-year head coach Dan Campbell has brought in Aaron Glenn, a former NFL cornerback, as his new defensive coordinator. Glenn is tasked with turning around the worst statistical defense in the league last season. He’s equipping a 3-4 front this fall and hopes to build his defense around speed and space.

The Lions allowed 278.62 passing yards per game last year, which ranked 30th overall. Having a healthy Okudah available all season could play a huge piece of that turnaround. In his six starts and nine appearances, the defensive back finished with 47 total tackles and an interception.

“The No. 3 overall pick suffered through a disastrous, injury-riddled debut campaign,” Frelund writes. “Pro Football Focus charted him with a whopping 112 passer rating allowed, and he gave up completions on all 12 of the targets he faced over his final three games. But with a new defensive coordinator — Aaron Glenn, who was an NFL cornerback for 15 seasons — and better injury luck, Okudah can flip the script in Year 2.

Healthy Okudah is game-changer

One of the main reasons Detroit drafted Okudah with its Top-5 selection was his college film. In his three seasons at Ohio State, he showed time after time he could completely take opposing wide receivers out of games.

He played every game in his freshman and sophomore seasons, but the cornerback was at his best in his junior year under new defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley. Okudah had two interceptions against Nebraska early in the 2019 season, forcing teams to start game-planning around him. A first-team All-Big Ten and unanimous All-American selection, Okudah finished his last year with three interceptions in helping Ohio State reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

If Okudah can play at the same level he was at Ohio State, the Lions secondary will have a dependable stopper in its secondary.

“Assuming his health is on par with what we saw at Ohio State, his demonstrated ability to change direction and limit yards after the catch without losing speed should dramatically change his output for the Leos in 2021,” Frelund said.

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