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Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has one of the more varied windows to be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. There are projections that have Owusu-Koramoah going as high as the middle of the first round, and others that have the linebacker going in the middle of the second round.
It’ll be interesting to see how teams attack that position after Micah Parsons is off the board. Let’s take a closer look at Owusu-Koramoah’s career with the Fighting Irish.
2021 NFL Draft Prospect Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s Profile
--Height: 6’1”
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--Weight: 215 pounds
--Position: Linebacker
--School: Notre Dame
2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s Strengths
For any linebacker, the highest compliment he can earn from fans and evaluators is that he is always around the football.
Owusu-Koramoah was definitely around the football quite a bit with the Fighting Irish, as he recovered two fumbles in each of his last two seasons. He also recorded 4 passes defended in 2019, and 3 passes defended in 2020. At a svelte 215 pounds, Owusu-Koramoah is light on his feet, and can stay with receivers crossing the middle of the field.
Owusu-Koramoah also had impressive numbers in the traditional statistics linebackers are judged by. He recorded 80 total tackles in 2019, and 62 total tackles in 2020. While he’s not necessarily the pass rusher that some other players are projected to be in the 2021 NFL Draft, the former Notre Dame defender does make a lot of impact plays behind the line of scrimmage. He had 13.5 tackles for a loss in 2019, and 11 tackles for a loss in 2020.
Also check out: Complete 2019 NFL Draft Results
2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s Weaknesses
Although Owusu-Koramoah is listed as a linebacker in pretty much all of the most notable NFL publications, his frame can also contribute to him being a bigger safety. While it’s not a weakness per se, teams might not be able to feel comfortable pegging him as a traditional linebacker, or a prototypical safety. Owusu-Koramoah's versatility can be viewed as a positive, but his lack of a defined position could cause him to slide down draft boards.
Additionally, Owusu-Koramoah stands to get better by improving his fundamentals. Because of his impressive athleticism, he’ll sometimes go for the splash tackle instead of wrapping a ballcarrier up with both arms. The 21-year-old will also need to become better at diagnosing offensive gameplans, so that he can be in a consistent position to make plays week in and week out.
2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s career at Notre Dame
Owusu-Koramoah had a respectable career at Notre Dame, where he also received the Dick Butkus award last season. The honor is bestowed on the best linebacker each year in college football. For context, other players who won the Butkus award in college are Von Miller, C.J. Moseley, Devin White, and Luke Kuechly.
It would be a tall order for Owusu-Koramoah to blossom into one of those star players, but he’s on a very impressive shortlist of linebackers who excelled in college football.
Owusu-Koramoah was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to starring on the field. He didn’t play in any games during his freshman season, and only played sparingly in his second season before injuring his foot.
However, once he was named a full-time starter in his junior year, Owusu-Koramoah developed into an intriguing NFL prospect in his final two college seasons.
2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s Career Defensive Stats
--Combined Tackles: 142
--Tackles For Loss: 24.5
--Sacks: 7
Also check out: Complete 2018 NFL Draft Results
