Justin Jefferson Is Happy an “Annoying” CB Is Now on His Side
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has seen all kinds of cornerbacks thrown his way, and he has gone up against pretty much every defensive coverage scheme designed to stop him. Most defensive backs and schemes fail. There’s a reason the man is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
Justin Jefferson Is Happy an “Annoying” CB Is Now on His Side
Occasionally, a defender has some success, though. And it might be an unlikely player.
In 2022 against the Detroit Lions, actually the last time the Vikings have beaten Dan Campbell’s squad, Jefferson finished the game with three catches for 14 yards. An abysmal day for the superstar. He was double and triple-teamed all day, but he often faced a physical defender and fellow 2020 draftee, Jeff Okudah.
According to PFF, Jefferson was targeted four times under Okudah’s watch and caught two passes for nine yards. The defender logged one pass breakup.
Asked about his new teammate, Jefferson said: “He has that speed … and he has that ability to really play-make and just be an annoying cornerback. That’s what I like to call those types of corners, ‘annoying cornerbacks,’ because they know how to be physical. They know how to get you off your route and not be able to have free access.”
Okudah’s prototypical size and speed made him the third overall pick in 2020. Coming out of Ohio State, he had all the tools to become the league’s next lockdown cornerback. Injuries have knocked him back in his career, and he has been relegated to backup duties in recent years.
Some soft-tissue injuries limited him to nine games in his rookie season, a torn Achilles cost him all but one contest in 2021, and he played only six games last year because of a hip injury.
The Vikings signed him for $2.35 million. A small but fully guaranteed deal. If he stays healthy, that addition has the potential to be a bargain.
About whether Jefferson and Okudah share any trash talk about previous matchups, Jefferson replied, “Nah, receivers and cornerbacks, we will never talk about those types of things. We just let it go. Now he’s on our side, so we’re good.”
Right after the draft, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said on KFAN about his new player, “Okudah is somebody we signed in free agency that we’re excited about. He’s as talented as anyone who got drafted last Thursday or Friday.”
The talent is, indeed, there. NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about him coming out: “Head coach and general manager’s dream prospect with blue-chip physical traits, mental makeup and personal character. He has size, length and foot quickness to road-block press release and elite closing burst to close catch windows or eliminate yards after catch. He has room for improvement with his recognition and balance at the top of the route, but quarterbacks rarely target and beat him over the top. 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.”
According to PFF, Detroit’s former draft pick has been targeted 181 times in his career, allowing 120 passes to be caught for 1,926 yards and five touchdowns with a passer rating of 106.3. He has yet to finish a season with a PFF grade of 60, which would still be below-average.
However, Okudah possesses a size that most of his teammates at the position lack. The Vikings list him at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, which is nearly ideal for a cornerback and makes him stand out on this roster.
Okudah has played for the Lions, Falcons, and Texans in his career. He has suited up 44 times in five seasons.
Also consider Kevin O’Connell’s words during an NFL Network appearance on draft weekend: “How about Jeff Okudah, a guy that was a really high draft pick, has all the traits. Very smart player. We’ve had our struggles against him at times, dealing with his length and strength at the line of scrimmage.”
Okudah has a chance to clinch a meaningful role on defense. The only sure-fire starter is Byron Murphy Jr., who signed a lucrative deal this offseason. Okudah’s competition for the other spots will be Isaiah Rodgers, a Super Bowl winner, and third-year player Mekhi Blackmon.
The former has gotten buzz this offseason, and he seems to be a favorite of Brian Flores. He should be considered the frontrunner for CB2 duties. Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL, but he had some success in his rookie year. Yet, neither has had a full-time starting role in their NFL careers.
Okudah is still only 26 years old. It’s unlikely that he suddenly can live up to the draft pedigree in year six, but the Vikings are excited to have him. It’ll be a big summer for the veteran.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.