Phin Phanatic
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Miami Dolphins 2020 Draft Profile: Cornerback Jeff Okudah

By Nick Belotto

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Jeff Okudah #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates a fourth down strop during the fourth quarter of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State defeated Michigan 56-27. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Jeff Okudah #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates a fourth down strop during the fourth quarter of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State defeated Michigan 56-27. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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With the combine over, let’s continue our look into some of the top prospects in the 2020 draft. This time, it’s Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah.

The combine is over and while the sports world is hunkering down for a few weeks, it’s important that the “show goes on” when it comes to draft prep for the Miami Dolphins. With free agency set to begin today, Miami is going to fill a lot of needs. Yet everyone knows, at the end of the day, it’s all about the draft and one player of interest could be Jeff Okudah.

Let’s turn our attention to a player I actually really like, but may not be the guy at 5 for Miami. All stats are courtesy of ESPN. If you’re interested in any of my other profiles, here they are:

Joe Burrow Tua Tagovailoa Isaiah Simmons Justin Herbert

Jeff Okudah, Ohio State

2019 Stats: 29 Solo, 3 INT, 2 FF, 9 PD

Chances for the Dolphins to draft him: Medium

Let me start off by saying that Jeff Okudah is a great player. His numbers were great in the 2019 season and, according to ESPN, he has improved every year that’s he’s played which is always nice to see. He’s got the prototypical size (6′ 1”, 200lbs) that would make coaches drool. If you take a look at his tape against in the College Football Playoff, he showed an ability to make plays against the run, and keep up against Clemson wideout Tee Higgins. He looks the part of a quality starter in the NFL. Let’s talk about Miami’s chances of getting him.

The chances or Miami getting Okudah are rated as a solid medium. Miami would need the draft to get pretty chaotic in the first few picks for Miami to have a shot at Okudah at 5. That is unlikely, but not impossible, considering all the buzz around the top quarterbacks in the draft. For the sake of the conversation, let’s assume that Burrow, Tagovailoa, Young, and Simmons go in the top 4, leaving Miami with a decision to make on Okudah. Should the Dolphins pull the trigger?

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If it were up to me, I’d really consider it. As I said earlier, I like Okudah. I think he’s a quality talent in the defensive backfield and could help improve on what was a weak secondary in 2019. I understand the needs throughout the team and could see Miami taking a lineman on either side of the ball at 5. But, if Miami feels confident it could get a K’Lavon Chaisson, Yetur Gross-Matos, Andrew Thomas or some other quality trench player later in the round, then Okudah makes sense as the best player available.

Cornerback is not the most drastic need for the Dolphins, considering how young guys like Nik Needham and Jomal Wiltz played in 2019. But, taking a talent like Okudah could instantly transform this secondary, pushing Wiltz or Needham to a nickel role and giving Eric Rowe one of the safety positions. That could be the formula for a good looking secondary in south Florida.

Taking Okudah would come down to some crazy things happening in the first four picks of the draft. But, since the draft is always full of chaos, then maybe it could also be filled with a reality where the Dolphins get Xavien Howard‘s new best friend.

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