3 Most Likely NFL Teams to Target Jeff Okudah in 2020 NFL Draft

With the way the game of football has transformed into a passing league over the last 10-15 years, the cornerback position has become vital to a team's defensive caliber. The top ranked corner in the 2020 NFL Draft is Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State, and teams should be chomping at the bit for the first round talent.

Okudah has the perfect balance of size (6-foot 1-inch, 200 lbs) and quickness that is sought after for man-to-man coverage, his specialty. Some analysts have already made comparisons to Jalen Ramsey, one of the NFL's best at the position right now, and project Okudah to eventually progress to the upper echelon of the corner ranks in the pros as well.

A number of NFL teams could use a player like Okudah in their secondary, but these three teams could be his most likely landed spots come April's draft.

3. Carolina Panthers

Panthers' corner James Bradberry will likely be rewarded for his time in Carolina, as the expectations are a big payday in free agency. / Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Okudah falling all the way down to the Carolina Panthers at seventh in the draft is a little less likely, but the NFL Draft is famous for being unpredictable. If the prized corner does drop, Matt Rhule's Panthers would snatch him up in a heartbeat with their current number one corner James Bradberry hitting the free agent market this month. Bradberry will be pricey to re-sign, but Okudah has a similar build and style of play, with a higher ceiling. At a much lower cost, he would be the ideal replacement for a defense that goes up against Michael Thomas, Julio Jones and Mike Evans on a yearly basis.

2. New York Giants

2019 first round pick Deandre Baker allowing a touchdown in coverage against the Philadelphia Eagles. / Steven Ryan/Getty Images

The New York Giants will have yet another high draft selection in 2020. Although they drafted defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and cornerback Deandre Baker with later first round picks last year, the G-Men have spent their last two top-ten selections on offensive players (Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones). The offense was improved in 2019, but the Big Blue defense is one of the worst in the NFL against the pass, ranking No. 31 in 2019, according to Football Outsiders. Rookie Deandre Baker looked lost in year one, and has not yet proven he can be a CB1 in this league, so pairing him with a shutdown option like Okudah could be just what Baker and the Giants need.

1. Detroit Lions

The Lions have been shopping top-corner Darius Slay, which would open the door for Jeff Okudah. / Leon Halip/Getty Images

2019 was another season of frustration for Detroit Lions' fans, who expected a playoff contender before losing quarterback Matthew Stafford to injury. In a way, the Lions may have lucked out after the injury though, because they definitely were more talented than the third worst team in the NFL. Even so, here they sit with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and with QB Joe Burrow and defensive end Chase Young seemingly as slam-dunks for picks one and two, the Lions are sitting pretty in one of the most valuable spots in the draft order. Sporting the fourth-worst pass defense in the NFL in 2019 according to Football Outsiders, Okudah and the Lions are a match made in heaven, even if they decide to keep Darius Slay.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael Obermuller also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.