Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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3. MICHAEL OJEMUDIA vs. THE RETURNING VETS
Third-round pick Michael Ojemudia arrives at UCHealth Training Center with the opportunity to earn what is essentially a starting role on defense. With as much nickel defense — five defensive backs — as team's play in today's NFL, a team's third cornerback is as valuable as many other positions on the field. And with starter Bryce Callahan presumably set to slide into the slot corner role in the team's nickel package, there's an open spot at the outside cornerback position opposite A.J. Bouye. The rookie from Iowa will face stiff competition for the spot, as the Broncos return plenty of young players at cornerback who are eager for playing time. De'Vante Bausby, Davontae Harris, Duke Dawson Jr. and Isaac Yiadom will all compete for the spot.
The case for Ojemudia:
Ojemudia is a physical, talented player who should fit well in Fangio's zone scheme. He intercepted six passes during his final two seasons at Iowa, and he added an additional 15 passes defensed during that span. At 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, Ojemudia has the frame to play cornerback. With a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, he also has the speed.
"Michael brings size, he brings speed and he can judge a ball down the field deep," Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell said in June. "Those are very important parts to a DB. He's really on schedule as a tackler and a hitter, which we know is very important to the Broncos' style of defense. How he fits in — we want him to do as much as he can as a rookie. Time will only tell that. What I can tell you is he's really, really in the top part of the class as far as his learning curve. He's picked up our scheme in a virtual sense and about as good as you'll find in a rookie. He's off to a good start. We're just really eager to get him on the field and get started coaching him in a physical sense."
Where Ojemudia needs to improve:
Experience — plain and simple. Through no fault of his own, Ojemudia simply hasn't had the offseason reps that would better position him to play early in the season. He'll face a tremendous challenge to implement a new defense and adjust to NFL speed on the practice field. He's already lost valuable OTA reps, and he won't have the benefit of the preseason to gain game experience. It will be a tall task for Ojemudia to be ready for a Week 1 game against the Titans.
The case for the returning vets:
There is seemingly a higher chance of a veteran winning this job, from purely a numbers perspective. Bausby, Harris, Dawson and Yiadom all have a shot at earning snaps, and they would each bring valuable experience to a secondary that we still don't know much about. Each player has different valuable attributes, but all four players started at least two games for Denver in 2019. Yiadom may have the edge among the veterans, as he started eight games last season, including the final five games of the year. Bausby, who led the short-lived Alliance of American Football in interceptions last year, also played a key role before suffering a season-ending injury.
Where the returning vets need to improve:
The Broncos are likely searching for consistency, and each of the veterans struggled with that in some way in 2019. Yiadom earned snaps early and then lost his role until late in the year. Bausby suffered the season-ending injury that knocked him out of the lineup. Harris, whom the Broncos claimed off waivers ahead of the season, started several games in a row and made a pair of big plays in a win over Cleveland. He then played just four defensive snaps over the final five weeks of the year. Dawson also saw few snaps in the final four weeks of the year after holding a bigger role earlier in the season. In order for the Broncos' secondary to thrive, one of these young players — or Ojemudia — must emerge as a consistent option whose play doesn't fluctuate week to week.