Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah may have the best film of any linebacker in this class. His skillset lets him do basically anything a team wants him to do. He can play both inside and outside linebacker, safety, and even some slot cornerback. Owusu-Koramoah rarely makes big mistakes on defense and he fit into his role as the leader of a great Notre Dame defense very well. Most concerns around him surround the smaller mental mistakes he made. Although these are expected in a younger prospect such as Owusu-Koramoah, they are still something he can work on. His overall play was extremely positive and his film supports it, Owusu-Koramoah makes a very strong case for being the top linebacker in this draft class. Even though the argument can be made that Micah Parsons takes that crown, it is a very tough decision.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Stats and Measurables:

College: Notre Dame

Class: Senior

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 216 lbs

Position: Linebacker

Number: #6

2019 Stats: 13 Games/79 TOTAL/52 SOLO/8.5 SACK/2 FF/2 FR/4 PD

2020 Stats: 12 Games/61 TOTAL/41 SOLO/1.5 SACK/3 FF/2 FR/1 INT/3 PD

Strengths:

1. Owusu-Koramoah’s versatility is one of his strongest attributes. He can play anywhere; any linebacker position, safety, and nickel-back or slot cornerback. Not only can he play these positions, but he can play them all very well. He has the size, speed, and athleticism to keep up with any matchup he may get. His coverage ability is excellent as well. He can play everywhere very well and it really was important for Notre Dame as they were able to almost adjust their defensive scheme to play to his strengths, which worked very well.

2. Another strength of Owusu-Koramoah is his ability to track down ballcarriers. He plays like a guided missile and is able to chase down runners with unbelievable speed. Very few plays can get past the second wave of tacklers against Notre Dame, mainly because of Owusu-Koramoah’s closing speed. He can accelerate instantly and is at full speed in the blink of an eye. This allows him to run through gaps very well and it also lets him get off of blocks quickly. He uses this acceleration and bursts well and it helped him destabilize run plays and sometimes completely blow them up. 

3. Owusu-Koramoah’s ability in coverage is another area where he shows prowess. He can cover most receivers very well in man coverage. He reacts quickly which keeps him with receivers when they come in and out of their breaks. Owusu-Koramoah flips his hips quickly and using his acceleration he can catch up with them immediately. In zone coverage, Owusu-Koramoah stands his ground and doesn’t bite much when teams try to draw him away. He knows how to read the quarterback and it lets him get to his spots without making wrong reads. He’s a huge playmaker because of these instincts. But unlike other prospects in this class, Owusu-Koramoah seems to not rely on his instincts to put him where he needs to be, but instead, he uses his instincts and ability to not only put him in a position to make a play, but to create one.

Weaknesses:

1. Even with Owusu-Koramoah’s excellent ability and instincts, he does hesitate occasionally when trying to get through holes. He’s able to find the right gap the majority of the time, but sometimes the fear of making a mistake pulls him back. This cost him a lot as sometimes he would be in the perfect place but then hesitated which let the offense seal him from the running lane. Although this is a commonality amongst younger players, it is still an area where Owusu-Koramoah would like to improve.

2. Again, Owusu-Koramoah’s mistakes are usually excused due to his age, and occasional sloppiness when tackling falls into that category. Owusu-Koramoah can make some spectacular tackles, but there are times when he doesn’t wrap up which lets ballcarriers shed him easily. He can be slightly over aggressive sometimes when trying to hit someone as hard as possible, which causes him to miss sometimes. This is an issue that most teams would like to correct, as Owusu-Koramoah definitely has the ability to be a great tackler, but sometimes he failed to do the simple things which led to missed tackles.

Closing Ideas:

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s potential could end up making him the number one linebacker to come out of this draft class. His great instincts, coverage ability, and athleticism all give him a great chance to succeed at the next level. With the proper scheme, Owusu-Koramoah can develop into a generational talent. While that may seem slightly far-fetched, his tape shows some tremendous potential. Even though he does make some mistakes, these can be worked out as he ages and has more chances to play against better players. He has the opportunity to become an elite player in this league and with the right coaching, and he could turn out to be one of the best prospects to come out of this class.