Since Brad Holmes became the Detroit Lions’ general manager, his tenure has been marked by NFL Draft success. However, the previous regime, led by ex-GM Bob Quinn, fell short of those standards.
The most significant misstep of Quinn’s era was drafting cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. At the time, the pick seemed sound, but Okudah failed to live up to expectations in Detroit.
In a recent article outlining every NFL team’s biggest mistake over the past five years, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell highlighted Okudah’s selection as the Lions’ most significant error.
“It’s hard to criticize Brad Holmes’ decisions since he took over in 2021,” Barnwell wrote, “so I have to go back to the final year of the Matt Patricia/Bob Quinn era. After a disappointing 3-12-1 season in 2019, the Lions had a prime opportunity at No. 3. Despite Bill Belichick’s preference for finding cornerbacks later in the draft, there was little criticism when Detroit chose Okudah, a prototypical cornerback at 6-foot-1 and a standout from Ohio State.”
Barnwell called the move more about bad luck than poor planning, but its failure was undeniable. Okudah battled injuries and confidence issues as a rookie. Despite hopes from new defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to revive Okudah’s potential in 2021, an Achilles rupture in Week 1 derailed his season. He returned in 2022 but struggled to secure a starting role, ultimately falling out of favor. Since then, Okudah has played as a backup for the Falcons and Texans.
The decision to draft Okudah was logical at the time. He was seen as the best cornerback available and addressed a clear need for Detroit. As Barnwell noted, bad fortune played a bigger role than poor judgment in the pick’s failure.
Injuries hampered Okudah’s career, and he never reached the level Detroit hoped for. The Lions traded him to the Falcons in 2023, and he now serves as a backup with the Texans.
Detroit received a 2023 fifth-round pick in the trade, which they used as part of a package to acquire safety Brian Branch, a decision that has proven highly successful for the Lions.
