Michael Ojemudia Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6’-1”
Weight: 200 pounds
School: Iowa
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.45 seconds (unofficial)
Vertical Jump: 36.0”
Broad Jump: 122.0”
3 Cone Drill: 6.87 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.21 seconds
Michael Ojemudia 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After starting at Iowa for the past two seasons, cornerback Michael Ojemudia is taking his talents to the professional level. The 6’-1”, 200-pound defensive back enters the NFL Draft on the heels of what is probably his best season to date. During his 747 snaps on the field, Ojemudia allowed 37 receptions on 65 targets for 315 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and a 55.6 passer rating.
Ojemudia initially joined the college football ranks as a three-star recruit. Despite playing linebacker and tight end in high school, Iowa decided that Ojemudia’s future lied at cornerback. The positional change took a while to take, as he took a redshirt in 2015 and hardly saw the field in 2016. He earned a bigger role in 2017 as a redshirt sophomore but was largely terrible. Playing in 331 snaps, Ojemudia allowed 18 receptions on 27 targets for 231 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 118.0 passer rating.
Fortunately, something clicked as a redshirt junior. Ojemudia looked like a new man, allowing just 20 receptions on 42 targets for 309 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 66.5 passer rating. He proved this wasn’t a one-year fluke by having an even better season as a redshirt senior.
Strengths
- Impressive ball skills and ability to break up passes;
- Above-average in zone with plus anticipation;
- 79th percentile arm lengths helps with pass breakups;
- Patient corner that doesn’t overpursue his reads;
- Solid athletic testing across the board with NFL build;
- Keeps the play in front of him.
Weaknesses
- Minimal experience in press coverage;
- Played in a simple scheme – going to need to adjust to NFL defenses;
- Can be overcautious about the big play and allow underneath routes;
- Not much of a factor in the run game;
- Tons of unknowns when it comes to his evaluation.
NFL Comparison: Antrel Rolle
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Projection: Round 5
Bottom Line on Michael Ojemudia
Michael Ojemudia is a scheme-specific cornerback that could turn into a diamond in the rough in the NFL. The Iowa cornerback excelled in zone coverage throughout his time on the field, demonstrating great ball skills and anticipation. His large arm length allows him to get his hands on a lot of balls, and his safe style of play ensures that he doesn’t allow any game-breaking receptions. This profile combined with his good-but-not-great athletic testing implies that, if nothing else, he should be a decent role player in a specific scheme.
Ojemudia’s limited collegiate role is a double-edged sword, as it’s nearly impossible to get a grasp on what he’s truly capable of. On paper, Ojemudia has the size, strength, and athleticism to make it in the NFL as a press cornerback. However, Iowa never really asked him to do this, so he’ll presumably have to learn the technique from the ground-up. Having the potential to do something and actually doing it are two completely different things, and Ojemudia carries too many risks to justify an early- to mid-round pick. However, his relatively safe floor combined with an intriguing ceiling makes him an interesting Day 3 option.
Main photo:
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