The Denver Broncos dealt with a lot of injury issues at cornerback last year, but Michael Ojemudia, the rookie out of Iowa, performed admirably for the most part. There was a lot that ended up getting thrust onto the rookie's plate because A.J. Bouye went down with a shoulder injury early and the Broncos couldn’t afford to ease Ojemudia into his role.
The accelerated timetable really reflected on Ojemudia's play during the season. He didn't get time to marinate.
Despite the struggles Ojemudia showed early on, he was actually the best performing rookie corner in the NFL for the first half of the season. Missed tackles were an issue, but he did well in coverage even with a few big plays given up.
That streak ended when the Broncos took on the Atlanta Falcons and Julio Jones dominated the matchup, which, honestly, was to be expected. That game seemed to kill Ojemudia’s confidence because his play never really rebounded.
Fast forward to 2021, and the Broncos have added multiple corners to the room and can afford to give Ojemudia the time he needs to perfect his technique and grow as a player. He shouldn’t be in a situation like last year where he had to play a large role early on and before he was really ready for it.
It's going to be interesting to see what the Broncos end up doing with Ojemudia as there's been buzz circulating about him being used more as a hybrid defensive back than a true corner. Whatever the Broncos do with him, he is likely to make the roster and have a role on special teams.
Hopefully, Ojemudia can be part of a much improved special teams unit than the Broncos have had in the years past.
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