Jeff Okudah Hype Train Picking Up Steam at Vikings Camp

This offseason the Minnesota Vikings did plenty of heavy lifting on the player acquisition front. Without the gaudy contract of a veteran quarterback weighing them down, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was able to attack the free agent market.

He took a close look at the trenches and added on both sides of the ball. KAM also swung a deal for another skill position player and acquired Jordan Mason to work with Aaron Jones.

The cornerback spot still looks like it may need addressing with only Byron Murphy Jr. back from the starting trio last season. That is of course overlooking former third overall pick Jeff Okudah. He was signed this offseason as well, and is turning plenty of heads.

Can the Minnesota Vikings unlock Jeff Okudah?

The Detroit Lions used the third overall pick in 2020 to grab Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah. He lasted just three seasons in the Motor City and has played for both Atlanta and Houston since. The results have not yet been positive, but Minnesota believes this could be the stop.

“He’s said how much he’s excited about it there,” [Adam] Stewart (Ohio State athletic trainer) said. “And that’s one thing that can’t be understated: He’s smart enough to know when people have his best interest in mind, and to know who’s really there to help him. He’s not just going to let everybody in his circle.”

Okudah is going to have to stay healthy for this story to have a spectacular finish. He’s going to have to continue to marinate in a defense as complex as any in the league. If Minnesota has made anything clear to him thus far, it’s that none of this will have to happen alone.

Last week, he walked off the field alongside Flores. They were talking specifics: techniques, fundamentals, concepts. The nitty gritty of the game he still very much loves.

The Athletic

As Alec Lewis so eloquently outlined for The Athletic, Okudah plays for people. Brian Flores and Kevin O’Connell are people that the former top cornerback in the nation can certainly play for.

Nice rep by Okudah pic.twitter.com/1QLYEbIZ1b

— Dustin (@Dust_Vikings) July 28, 2025

His production has been marred by injuries over the course of his career. Okudah has never played more than 15 games in a season, and he’s reached double-digits just twice in his five professional seasons.

Related: Vikings Name Starting QB for First Preseason Game

If he can stay on the field this year for Minnesota, he could be the final piece of a secondary looking to capitalize on an amazing front seven. It took some time for Okudah to land in this sort of situation, but things are now looking up.

Okudah see MN Vikings as the right landing spot

Rejuvenated by what Flores does on defense, Okudah has drawn the attention of everyone around TCO Performance Center this training camp.

“We’re going to have him in a role we feel pretty strongly about. To see him take it and run with it early on — he’s had a phenomenal camp.”

Kevin O’Connell – The Athletic

“I saw some of the articles writing about the versatility of this (Vikings) defense. It caught my eye.”

Jeff Okudah – The Athletic

It would be a full-circle moment for Okudah to have the standout season he has always thought capable of in the division that once let him go. Across 25 games with the Lions (22 starts), Okudah had 124 tackles and the only two interceptions of his career.

Related: Former Vikings QB Wants Back Into NFL

He hasn’t picked off a pass since November 13, 2022. He’ll have every opportunity to get the job done this season, and Flores will put him in positions to make a play.