2020 NFL mock draft: Jeff Okudah is the perfect need and value combination for the Detroit Lions

Head coach Matt Patricia’s first two seasons in Detroit have not been good. After going 6-10 in Patricia’s first season, the Lions fell to 3-12-1 in 2019 after quarterback Matthew Stafford was lost for much of the season due to injury.

That could make Patricia’s Year 3 a make-or-break season. If the Lions struggle again, he could be gone and general manager Bob Quinn might not be far behind. To try and fix things, the Lions are attempting to become the New England Patriots of the Rust Belt. In the past two years, the team has brought in former Patriots defenders Jamie Collins, Trey Flowers, Duron Harmon, and Danny Shelton. The trouble is they do not have their version of superstar cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit is here to remedy that for the Lions in the 14th annual SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft.

Reisman: The dream pick here is Chase Young, given Detroit’s struggle to rush the passer last year. But his teammate, Okudah, is a fine consolation prize. Even before the Detroit Lions traded away Darius Slay, an outside cornerback on the opposite side of the field was a huge need.

Okudah possesses all of the things the Lions desire in a shutdown cornerback: size, physicality, and man-to-man coverage skills that are necessary for Patricia’s man-heavy scheme. He’s also a huge studier of the game.

In truth, there may not be a player in this draft class that’s a better fit for Detroit than Okudah, and he’ll make an immediate impact on one of the worst defenses from 2019. In an ideal world, the Lions would trade down and still land Okudah at five or six, but picking him straight up at three is still a big win for Detroit.

Analysis: After the two logical, yet boring, first two picks in this mock, this is where things start to get a little more interesting. As much as the Lions need a cornerback like Okudah, they also need a playmaker on defense like Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons. Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown would be a good choice too. But if you mix need and value together, Okudah makes the most sense.

That finishes our first day of picks in the 14th annual SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft. Coming for the first pick Tuesday morning is Ed Valentine of Big Blue View for the New York Giants.