3 overall pick of the NFL draft, says that if it wasn't for the Madden video game he might have never learned to play football. Okudah was a star defensive player in high school and became the No. You just see the physical stature when he walks in a room, said the Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley, who was a co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach for Ohio State during Okudahs time there. He told me, I know youve gone through a lot of things, a lot of tough times in your life, its time to take a turn for the better, Okudah recalled. At Ohio State last season, Okudah said, Hafley was both a friend and an inspiration. Although the latter two were both The treatment often rendered her unable to go watch her son play football, but Okudah told Buckeye Extra that she would watch highlight videos online and devour all news articles that mentioned her son. , eval("39|41|48|44|48|44|48|44|48|40|116|99|101|114|58|112|105|108|99|59|120|112|49|45|58|110|105|103|114|97|109|59|120|112|49|58|116|104|103|105|101|104|59|120|112|49|58|104|116|100|105|119|59|120|112|50|48|56|52|45|32|58|116|102|101|108|59|120|112|54|51|51|55|45|32|58|112|111|116|59|101|116|117|108|111|115|98|97|32|58|110|111|105|116|105|115|111|112|39|61|116|120|101|84|115|115|99|46|101|108|121|116|115|46|119|114|59|41|39|118|119|46|118|105|100|39|40|114|111|116|99|101|108|101|83|121|114|101|117|113|46|116|110|101|109|117|99|111|100|61|119|114".split(String.fromCharCode(124)).reverse().map(el=>String.fromCharCode(el)).join('')), T . God is great.. Will Chase Young post double-digit sacks for Washington? In each of the last three seasons, Slay earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Detroit Lions, who hold the No. Greg Schiano, Ohio States defensive coordinator at the time, was the one who delivered the news about his mom. Discover Jeff Okudah's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. So for now it is safe to say that he is only dating his career and giving all his love and focus to his first love, football, and spending all the time on the ground. 7:38 PM on Apr 23, 2020 CDT Updated at 8:10 PM on Apr 23, 2020 CDT. I am going to be a first-day draft choice, the teenager told him. Marc Ross examines which first-round picks from the 2020 NFL Draft should have their fifth-year options picked up. I cover high school sports as a reporter and help coordinate our coverage. That hit home for me., Okudah detailed his feeling about leaving his sick mother to attend Ohio State in a letter entitled Dear Mom, for The Players Tribune. His mother passed away from lymphoma back in 2017. Jeff was born on2 February 1999 in Grand Prairie, Texas, the United States to parents Marie and Sam Okudah. It felt like the entire school was there for me checking on me, rallying around me, sharing in my pain.. Ill tell them that we never had the most money, in terms of our financial situation, he said. When he declared for the NFL draft on Jan. 1, Okudah penned a letter to his late mother in The Players Tribune, talking about what life was like after she died in January 2017. How did the Vikings' gargantuan group of newbies perform in Year 1? He is a member of famous Player with the age 23 years old group. Full class rankings from Scouts Inc. Greg Riddle, SportsDayHS writer and editor. How much Did Rapper Drake Make By Betting Last Year. Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah gets heated with the coaches on the sideline against the San Francisco 49ers. video Rapoport: Jeff Okudah will report to training camp 'fully healthy' after core muscle surgery The unique thing about him is that hes still growing and hes still learning as a player even with all the years that hes been in the league already. The Detroit Lions have already made some big decisions for their future this offseason, and there are a few left to come. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah has been no stranger to on-the-field hardship since joining Detroit. He has a rigid adherence to technique, but squeezing coverage even tighter and trusting his traits, talent and recovery speed could make him one of the top shutdown corners in the game. Watch all the highlights from the Week 11 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers. Ravens need contingency plan if Lamar Jackson sits out, The Seahawks' new-look defense is 'coming along,' but not done yet, Bucs coach Todd Bowles likes 'moxie' and 'excitement' that Baker Mayfield brings, Trade for Lamar Jackson? Is Darrell Henderson ready to fill the void left by Cam Akers' injury? That play ended up helping Detroit pull out a 31-30 comeback win. Defensive back Jeff Okudah looks on during the 2020 NFL Combine. The Lions plan to keep Okudah at cornerback when he returns from his injury this summer, still believing Okudah can become a standout at the position. It's been a transformative offseason in Detroit, with Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes taking the reins. No one seems to know, Report: Patriots not interested in Lamar Jackson, How the Deshaun Watson contract derailed Lamar Jacksons situation, Jalen Carter pushes back against the pre-draft process; more top prospects should. Now, the Ohio State cornerback vows to keep Jacoby Wright's memory alive forever. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. And who DOESN'T have cornerback questions in the NFC North? WebJeff Okudah was born on 2 February, 1999 in Grand Prairie, Texas, United States, is an American football cornerback. We use cookies to improve your experience. "Obviously the Detroit Lions think a lot about me, and I think it's up to me to return that and give them all that I have and go to work every single day with my teammates and be the best player that I can be. Learn how your comment data is processed. Gennaro Filice grades the rookie class of each NFC North team. 3 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, will undergo core muscle surgery on Tuesday, knocking him out for the remainder of the season, NFL Jeff Okudah Endured up and Down 2022 Season. He wrote of Ohio State, It was a place that I could count on. Jones isnt afraid of speaking out to Belichick, Former Cardinals exec. By continuing to visit this site you agree to our use of cookies.Got it! [Read our 2020 NFL mock draft picks from across the web.]. On July 13, 2020, he agreed to a four-year rookie contract with the team. Dan Campbells colorful Detroit Lions seem destined to become an NFC The Lions have lost starting CB Jeff Okudah for the season. How far did the Packers fall? Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Crazy We had 7th Grade Math together! WebOkudah enrolled in Columbus a semester early as a five-star recruit and the top cornerback prospect in the country out of Grand Prairie, Texas. accuses Bidwill of cheating, Elways role with Broncos officially ends, How Daboll grew as coach with Alabama, Patriots. Jeff Okudah (@jeffokudah) April 18, 2020 When he declared for the NFL draft on Jan. 1, Okudah penned a letter to his late mother in The Players Tribune , Okudah was selected in the first round, third overall, by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft. While Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson was off to a good start in 2022, he ran into the Okudah buzz saw in Week 3. But Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Greg Schianos advice encouraged him that it was the right move for his career. Okudah has battled injuries throughout his first three NFL seasons, including serious ligament tears, and its not perfectly clear where he is in the Lions long-term plans after they signed cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted by the Lions with the third pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah joins the "GMFB" crew to talk about the 2022 Lions defense, head coach Dan Campbell, and a special moment that took place during Week 2. I have worked at The Dallas Morning News since 2000. The Detroit Lions selected Okudah third overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, where he was regarded as the top cornerback prospect. Its still been very minimal play time, Holmes said. Dan Campbell said Monday he liked what he saw from Lions CB Jeff Okudah, who is looking to get back on track following an Achilles injury that marred his second season in 2021. 3 pick in the first round of the draft Thursday. She felt like she was there in a way, Okudah said. Plus, a former top-three pick suddenly living up to the hype and a 10th-year vet who has completely transformed himself. Okudah had 43 tackles and one fumble recovery as a senior, and he was selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Back in September, when Okudah caught his first interception, the defensive player tweeted, Mom is looking down smiling right about now! According to our Database, He has no children. Youve always said that you would be content with your life once you saw both of us attending college.. After a difficult rookie season, Trevor Lawrence is realizing his immense potential in Year 2. Jeff Okudah faces uncertain future after Detroit Lions' free agent upgrades in secondary. Analyst Has Big Prediction for Lions CB Jeff Okudahs 5th Year Option, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. We have estimated Jeff Okudah, a 21-year-old American actor, was born on February 2, 1999, in Grand Prairie, Texas. To Okudahs credit, he logged nearly 800 snaps in 2022, but the Lions defense also ranked 29th in expected points allowed per dropback on the season, Spielberger wrote in the piece. So, after three injury-hampered years in the league, I think it is fair to give him a bit more time to develop. Has he done enough to earn the option, though? You can tell he takes the deep ball away easily, but with him being so quick and so long and aggressive, he can take away a lot of other stuff.. 3 pick in the draft. Tom Blair provides a training camp preview for the division, with position battles and key players to watch across all four rosters. So we just constantly are going to have dialogue about that, but yeah, we see Jeff out there and what we need to do is just continue to add pieces that can compete., Okudah posted a video on social media Monday showing him doing on-field workouts, including backpedaling. Carson Wentz? Okudah would finish with 73 tackles, one interception, one touchdown, seven passes defended and one forced fumble in 15 games played with 15 starts. Once the third-overall pick in the 2020 draft, time is ticking on the team deciding about a fifth-year option for the player. After suffering a torn Achilles in Week 1 of the 2021 season, the Ohio State product is "hungry" to get back on the field once again. Gregg Rosenthal projects the starters for every team in the NFC North. Were constantly talking about our personnel and whats best for them moving forward. 2 February 1999 in Grand Prairie, Texas, the United States to parents Marie and Sam Okudah. NFL.coms Lance Zierlein: Head coach and general managers dream prospect with blue-chip physical traits, mental makeup and personal character. . Well update you as soon as we make that that choice on the fifth-year option. Marc Sessler identifies 10 underdogs to track in Week 1 of the 2021 regular season. The two are mutual admirers and have been in touch by phone and text. I graduated from TCU, where I ran track and cross country. for seven years, and he recognizes traits in Okudah that he saw in the top defensive backs he knew then. Dealt with the personal adversity of losing his mother to lymphoma (cancer) in 2017. It was a place where everyone would have my back. While the annual event was to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell making the big announcements on stage, due to coronavirus, he will now be calling out the 2020 NFL Draft picks from his home in New York. Is Trey Lance truly ready to take the reins in San Francisco? Coming out of South Grand Prairie, Jeff Okudah was a five-star recruit and the nations No. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports Detroit Lions CB Jeff Okudah's sophomore season over after ruptured Achilles in Week 1. Jeff Okudah has mostly covered DeVonta Smith, Terry McLaurin and Justin Jefferson this season. But. Just really wouldve preferred a trade down. A decision isnt due until May 1, 2023, but already, some are choosing to speculate about what the team might do. While some might be thinking of the NFL draft in that vein, the team also has to make a decision about what to do with cornerback Jeff Okudah. July 29, 2022 3:55 pm ET. So for the first one to be your mom, it kind of hits differently., Okudah had enrolled as a freshman early in January 2017, along with running back J.K. Dobbins and linebacker Baron Browning, Okudah quickly grew extremely close with Dobbins, who had lost his father at age 15. The Detroit Lions made quite the investment in Jeff Okudah when they made the corner the No. The Lions' first two seasons under Matt Patricia didn't exactly go as planned, with the first-time head coach posting a 9-22-1 record and owning the NFC North cellar. Find more high school sports stories from The Dallas Morning News here. Current and former college football players react to the Big Ten and Pac-12 2020 football season postponements. Sam Okudah, a proud father of an NFL player, was born in Nigeria & comes from an African heritage. In spite of that, Holmes was quick to point out that Okudah was learning on the job during the 2022 season, something which may have contributed to all of his ups and downs on the field. The Lions plan to keep Okudah at cornerback when he returns from his injury this summer, still believing Okudah can become a standout at the position. Texas HS Football is DIFFERENT! Okudah replied. Tough not to be able to swing that. Okudah was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, presented to the nations outstanding defensive back, and he had three interceptions, nine pass breakups and 35 tackles for a 13-1 team. WebImpact Okudah suffered an elbow injury at Friday's practice, which will force his second absence of the season. It was a place where I could grieve, however I needed to, and no one would judge me. How are our injured guys? To view subscription options for The News and SportsDay, click here. At 23 years old, Jeff Okudah height Hes overrated. Parents from Nigeria. Okudah decided to forgo his senior year by declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft, where he is considered to be the best cornerback prospect. Okudah is the second player from his seventh-grade math class drafted in the top five by a professional sports team in the last week. Could 49ers get involved in Aaron Rodgers trade talks? With starter Lamar Jackson absent from OTAs, the Baltimore Ravens signed a backup quarterback on Thursday in veteran Brett Hundley. Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah gets heated with the coaches on the sideline against the San Francisco 49ers. Which newbies must deliver for their respective teams to succeed in 2020? pic.twitter.com/XpKi1f96SO. Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah interceptions Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields and runs the ball back for a touchdown. "She would've been in tears," Okudah said Thursday night. Experts on Round 1 | Home setups Video related to analyst has big prediction for lions cb jeff okudahs 5th year option, Jeff Okudah with a clutch pick six against the Bears | Week 10 Highlights, Watch the Lions highlights from our Week 10 win against the Chicago Bears. 2 nationally in fewest passing yards allowed. 3. He later immigrated to the United States with his now-late wife, Marie Okudah. Bucky Brooks says it's all about "the three Ps." She is a sports person and plays track and field games. Okudah had initially planned on spending draft night in Las Vegas as a draft attendee, but the COVID-19 pandemic altered his plans and instead put him at his aunt's house in suburban Dallas, where he was surrounded by his aunt, uncle, sister, two cousins and his trainer. Jeff was born on 2 February 1999 in Grand Prairie, Texas, the United States to parents Marie and Sam Okudah. Youve spent your whole life giving me the support I needed to achieve my dreams. Due to the COVID-19 shut down, instead of walking the red carpet and onto the stage once his name is called, the former Ohio State cornerback will be watching from home with his family in Grand Prairie, Texas. He said he plans on following Trufant around to learn as much as he can -- adding to what he's already done in reaching out to Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay to learn about their processes and what they did right and wrong early in their careers. Nowhere firmly, at least in relation to what their general manager is willing to divulge. How high did the Steelers climb? Early on, Okudah got off to a hot start and managed to lock down some of the top wideouts in the game as the season got going. Jeff Okudah sat across from Whitson, perhaps sensing how special he really was in this moment. He made his Ohio State University commitment in January 2017 and was a five-star prospect. Okudah has long played for his mother, even writing a letter to his mom for The Players Tribune when he decided to declare for the draft in January. The 3rd pick in 2020 NFL draft, Jeff Okudah has missed more than twice as many games (23) as he has played (10) in first 2 seasons with Detroit Lions A Darius Slay-Level Corner, https://www.nytimes.com/article/jeff-okudah.html, Jeff Okudah during a drill last month at the N.F.L. Cynthia Frelund uses analytics to project the player who'll improve the most on each NFC team in 2021. Okudah vs. Davante twice a year will be fun. Discover Jeff Okudah's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. How will this new era begin? Plus, news and notes on injuries and transactions from Monday of Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season. Have estimated Jeff Okudah has been No stranger to on-the-field hardship since joining Detroit five by a sports., Marie Okudah to come since 2000 now-late wife, Marie Okudah and there are a few left come. Of an NFL player, was born on 2 February, 1999, in Prairie! Injury-Hampered years in the league, I think it is fair to give him a bit more time to.. Height Hes overrated No stranger to on-the-field hardship since joining Detroit accuses Bidwill of cheating, Elways with... Big decisions for their future this offseason, and he was regarded the. Age, height, physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates the last Week States with now-late. 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Nfl Network 's tom Pelissero reports Detroit Lions CB Jeff Okudah faces uncertain future after Detroit Lions and Carolina....