Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
With Singing Day in the rearview mirror and our national rankings shut down, we thought it would be fun to compare the top players at their position in 2016 to the top players at their position in 2017.
Today we look at the defensive backs.
SAFETY: Lamar Jackson (2016) vs. Jeffrey Okudah (2017)
The skinny: Jackson signed with Nebraska over a group of finalists that also included Arizona State, UCLA and USC. He finished his freshman season with 17 tackles and one sack, saving his best performance for the Music City Bowl against Tennessee when he totaled a season-high eight tackles. Okudah was long thought to be an Ohio State lean, so it didn't come as much of a surprise when he committed to the Buckeyes at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Farrell’s take: Jackson is a terrific player but this one isn’t that close as Okudah has shown he can be an elite cornerback or safety. I’d give Jackson the advantage in run support, but Okudah in all the other categories.
Farrell’s verdict: Okudah
CORNERBACK: Levonta Taylor (2016) vs. Lamont Wade (2017)
The skinny: Taylor chose Florida State over programs such as Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Virginia, Ohio State and Florida. He received steady playing time in 2016, finishing with 16 tackles and one tackle for a loss. Wade was Penn State's top target in 2017 and the program's dogged pursuit of the five-star paid off as he committed to the Nittany Lions in December.
Farrell’s take: This is a good matchup between a pair cornerbacks that play much bigger than their actual height. Taylor is a tad quicker and more fluid, but Wade has better ball skills, is thicker and is around the ball more. I'll go with Wade because of his advantage in press coverage.
Farrell’s Verdict: Wade
