Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah carted off field with ankle injury in training camp

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah was carted off the field Friday with an ankle injury.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith said the severity of Okudah’s injury would not be known until Saturday, when an MRI was scheduled.

"Hopefully it's optimistic and he'll get back out there," Smith said in a post-practice news conference.

Several Falcons players took a knee and said a prayer together shortly after Okudah was taken off the field.

Okudah, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, was acquired by Atlanta in April from the Detroit Lions, where his first two seasons were marred by injury.

After a core muscle injury in 2020 and a torn Achilles in the 2021 season opener, Okudah had his best NFL season last year, starting 15 games and accounting for 73 total tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception he returned for a touchdown.

The former Ohio State standout was entering the final year of his rookie contract and scheduled to warn $3.6 million this season. Detroit also paid $1.5 million of Okudah’s salary to facilitate his trade, according to NFL Network.

Okudah was sent to Atlanta in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and he was expected to make an impact on the Falcons defense, which added other veterans this offseason in safety Jessie Bates III, linebackers Kaden Elliss and Bud Dupree and defensive end Calais Campbell.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeff Okudah injury: Atlanta Falcons CB carted off after hurting ankle