The Detroit Lions selected cornerback Jeff Okudah with the 3rd overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, but it wasn’t the most ideal rookie campaign for the former Ohio State Buckeye.
He dealt with his fair share of criticism for his on-field performance compared to where he was selected in the draft, and the Lions are hoping for better results in his upcoming sophomore campaign.
One of Detroit’s many offseason additions to the staff include Aubrey Pleasant, who takes over as passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach. And according to him, the team needs to see more discipline from Okudah.
“Got a little greedy with his eyes,” Pleasant said of Okudah, who was caught out of position on a 43-yard reception by wideout Diontae Johnson during today’s practice. “Was a condensed split. He kind of wanted to jump one route, but didn’t play what he saw,” Lions defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant told reporters on Monday. “I like it, because he was thinking. But, I don’t like it, because I need discipline.”
“The hardest thing in my mind for a rookie and now second-year player is learning what to do and how to do it at the same time. And, it’s up to me, as a coach, to slow it down for the learner,” he continued.
It certainly was an adjustment making the jump to the NFL from his collegiate experience suiting up for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was named to the 2019 College Football All-America Team.
“If you look at what he was asked to do at Ohio State, it was look at this guy, eliminate this guy only. Don’t look anywhere else, don’t worry about any checks, don’t worry about any balances, don’t worry about anything,” he said. “And now, in the NFL, it’s a different game. So, sometimes, you’ve got to communicate, sometimes, you’ve got to get off, sometimes, people put you in splits, where you can’t always press and you’ve got to make sure you’re sharpening your tools in your toolshed so when you do, you’re able to use those.”
– – Quotes via SI Link – –
