Prisco NFL mock draft: 4 QBs taken before Cardinals select Jeff Okudah

The first seven picks of CBS reporter Pete Prisco’s third NFL mock draft was quarterback-dominant, giving the Arizona Cardinals more or less the creme of the crop among other positions.

Prisco predicted the Cardinals will draft former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with pick No. 8.

They need a cover player to go with Patrick Peterson and Okudah is the best cover player in this draft.

It’s been rare to see Okudah fall in mock drafts, but if the Cardinals are in position to select him and do so, they would immediately find a long-term cornerback opposite Patrick Peterson.

In January, Pro Football Focus’ Anthony Treash wrote that Okudah is a budding star.

He has all the tools to make it at the next level. Elite speed, athleticism, size — you name it, he has it. Okudah has shown off all of these over the past couple of seasons and has locked down the outside. Opposing quarterbacks have tried to catch Okudah off guard, but more often than not, it’s Okudah who wins the battle.

The Ringer’s Robert Mays headlined an early-March combine article by saying that Okudah looks like a “nearly perfect cornerback prospect” wrote:

While there’s no such thing as a perfect prospect, Okudah is pretty close. A team like the Giants will be very happy if Burrow and Tagovailoa go 1-2 and Okudah falls into their lap.

Last year, Okudah had three interceptions and nine passes defended for the Buckeyes.

At the NFL Combine, he had a 41-inch vertical leap and ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash.

The Cardinals were able to select him in Prisco’s mock draft after four quarterbacks were taken before their No. 8 slot: Joe Burrow went No. 1, Jordan Love No. 5, Tua Tagovailoa No. 6 and Justin Herbert No. 7.

Prisco had defensive end Chase Young getting drafted at No. 2, defensive lineman Derrick Brown at No. 3 and offensive lineman Andrew Thomas at No. 4.

That left the Cardinals with a choice between Okudah and players more often linked to them including offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, linebacker Isaiah Simmons, and wide receivers Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb.

In Prisco’s draft, Arizona shored up the cornerback spot with an athlete more often seen in the top five of mock drafts than out of it. Okudah would challenge veteran Robert Alford, who missed all of 2019 with a leg injury, for the starting spot opposite Peterson.

Wirfs, Simmons and Jeudy went Nos. 11, 12 and 13 in that order in Prisco’s draft while Lamb was taken at No. 21.

Follow @Logan_Newsman