Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye studied a number of NFL cornerbacks while in college in hopes of taking little bits of their game and applying them to his. One of those players he looked at was Lions Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay.
"I watched (Slay) a good amount," Oruwariye said Saturday after the Lions took him in the fifth round of the draft. "I just felt like Darius Slay played the deep ball really well. It's just great technique."
Oruwariye is now hoping to parlay that film study into a playing role alongside Slay in Detroit's defense in 2019 and beyond.
"He's somebody I'm going to really lean on and take advice from and try to groom my game after," Oruwariye said of Slay.
The selection of the Penn State cornerback continues the Lions' run on defensive players in the second and third days of the NFL Draft. Oruwariye is the fourth straight defensive player taken by Detroit after first-round pick tight end T.J. Hockenson.
View photos of corner back Amani Oruwariye.
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs in a drilll at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Penn State corner back Amani Oruwariye, left, intercepts a pass intended for Northwestern wide receiver Bennett Skowronek during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. Penn State won 31-7. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye participates in a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Monday, March. 4, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye participates in a drill during the NFL football scouting combine on Monday, March 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
North wide receiver Jakobi Meyers of North Carolina State (11) carries the ball as North defensive back Amani Oruwariye of Penn State (21) defends during practice for Saturday's Senior Bowl college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Kentucky wide receiver Tavin Richardson, left, is stopped by Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye, back right, after a reception during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs in a drilll at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) intercepts a pass intended for Pittsburgh wide receiver Tre Tipton (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State's Binjimen Victor (9) catches a pass in front of Penn State's Amani Oruwariye (21) and runs in for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. Ohio State won 27-26. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL football scouting combine on Monday, March 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye participates in a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Monday, March. 4, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
North defensive back Amani Oruwariye of Penn State (21) carries the ball during practice for Saturday's Senior Bowl college football game, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye talks with reporters after working out at Penn State's NFL Pro Day in State College, Pa., Tuesday, March 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Kent State's Mike Carrigan (87) hauls in a pass and runs it in for a touchdown as Penn State's Amani Oruwariye (21) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye poses for a headshot during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Saturday, Mar. 2, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles via AP)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs in a drilll at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Penn State's Amani Oruwariye, left, and Marcus Allen clown around after Penn State's 38-31 victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) kneels after the team lost to Michigan State 27-24 in the closing seconds of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs in a drilll at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor (23) is pushed out of bounds by Penn State's Amani Oruwariye (21) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) plays against Michigan in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (9) collides with Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) contesting for a pass in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. Michigan won 42-7. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Penn State players mob teammate Amani Oruwariye (21) after he intercepted the ball in the end zone against Appalachian State in overtime of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. Penn State won 45-38 in OT. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Penn State's Amani Oruwariye (21) intercepts a pass intended for Appalachian State's Corey Sutton (2) in the end zone during overtime of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. Penn State won 45-38 in OT. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Michigan State's Connor Heyward (11) looks to take on Penn State's Amani Oruwariye (21) after a catch during the second half of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) before the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye speaks during Big Ten Conference NCAA college football media days in Chicago, Monday, July 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
Purdue wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey (7) scores on a 62-yard pass in front of Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Penn State defeated Purdue 62-24. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oruwariye has terrific length (6-2, 207) and speed (4.47). He intercepted four passes and broke up eight others as a reserve in 2017. He earned a starting role in 2018, earning a first-team all-conference nod and leading the Nittany Lions with 12 pass breakups and tying for the team lead with three interceptions.
His above-average size and strength could be a nice fit for a Lions' defense that plays a lot of press-man on the outside. Oruwariye is physical at the line of scrimmage, and has the kind of physical traits teams like in a player drafted on Day 3.
"It just really allows me to match up with bigger receivers," Oruwariye said of his size vs. other corners in this draft. "It allows me to use my body to my ability and really dominate at the line of scrimmage and go up with receivers and make plays on the ball. There are just a lot of strengths my size brings."
Oruwariye will throw his hat into the mix of players competing for the open starting outside cornerback spot opposite Slay. The Lions signed Justin Coleman in free agency to man the slot. Oruwariye is likely to join Rashaan Melvin, Marcus Cooper, Teez Tabor and others in the competition for that outside role.
