Since becoming the Detroit Lions’ general manager, Brad Holmes has achieved significant success in the NFL Draft. However, the previous regime, led by former general manager Bob Quinn, didn’t fare as well.
One of the biggest missteps of the Quinn era was selecting cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. At the time, the pick seemed logical, but Okudah never lived up to expectations in Detroit.
In a recent article identifying each NFL team’s biggest mistake over the past five years, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell highlighted the Lions’ selection of Okudah.
It’s tough to take fault with too many of the decisions Brad Holmes has made during his excellent run as Lions general manager since 2021, so I have to sneak all the way back to the final season of the Matt Patricia/Bob Quinn era. After a 3-12-1 season in 2019, the Lions were in a position to take a difference-maker at No. 3. While former Patriots coach Bill Belichick typically found his cornerbacks late in the draft or as undrafted free agents, there weren’t many complaints when Detroit took Okudah, who had prototypical size (6-foot-1) and had been a standout at Ohio State.
I’d classify this move more as bad luck than a bad process, but there’s no arguing it didn’t work out. Okudah struggled through injuries and lapses in confidence during his rookie season. With Patricia gone after the 2020 season, new defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn undoubtedly hoped to get the most out of a fellow cornerback, but Okudah ruptured an Achilles in Week 1 of the 2021 season. He came back in 2022 but never emerged as the cover corner the Lions hoped, and he fell out of the starting lineup toward the end of the season. He has bounced around with the Falcons and Texans since.
The choice was understandable at the time. Okudah was widely regarded as the best cornerback in the draft class and addressed a critical need for Detroit. As Barnwell notes, the failure of the pick was largely due to unfortunate circumstances.
Okudah’s time in Detroit was marred by injuries, and his on-field performance fell short. In 2023, the Lions traded him to the Atlanta Falcons, and he’s now a backup with the Houston Texans.
In exchange for Okudah, the Lions received a 2023 fifth-round pick from the Falcons. They eventually used that pick in a trade package that allowed them to draft safety Brian Branch, a move that has turned out to be a major win for Detroit.
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