Lions Wasting No. 3 Pick on Jeff Okudah is Going to Come Back to Haunt Them

The Detroit Lions have basically been begging the NFL to acquire the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn failed to find any takers.

They used their selection on Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, regarded as the clear-cut best defensive back in this class.

Failing to find a trade partner is going to be a killer for the short term future of the Lions.

Okudah is insanely talented and a Day 1 starter, but the Lions have dozens of holes on this roster that were more glaring than cornerback, even after trading Darius Slay. The Lions could have turned Okudah into a boatload of picks that helped them shore up their defensive line and backfield, but their hesitancy with pulling the trigger on a deal ended up killing that dream.

Replacing a Pro Bowl corner in Slay with a rookie is a risky move from Patricia and the Lions, but Okudah could repay the Lions and make this risky move all work out if he becomes a Pro Bowler within his first few seasons. He has more than enough talent to pull that off, but that's a big ask from a rookie that's about to join a lackluster roster with a nonexistent pass rush.