Notre Dame Mock Draft Roundup: Landing Spots For Fighting Irish NFL Draft Prospects
It's Draft Day! This has been one of my favorite events for most of my life, and part of the fun is seeing who had the best mock drafts. There were a ton of them, and I poured through the vast majority of the top mock drafts to get a read on where analysts are projecting Notre Dame's NFL Draft prospects.
I'm collected all the data and now it's time to release where the mock drafts are placing former Notre Dame prospects. Keep in mind most mock drafts only go one round deep.
JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH, LINEBACKER
There were several top landing spots for Owusu-Koramoah, but seeing him head to the nation's capital to play for the Washington Football Team was the top choice.
Fourteen different analysts have Washington taking Owusu-Koramoah with the 19th overall pick in the first round. Ryan Roberts (Expand The Boxscore), Johnny Vrentas (SI), Roy Countryman (SI), Lorenz Leinweber (SI), Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network), Dane Brugler (The Athletic), Mike Renner (Pro Football Focus), Tony Pauline (Pro Football Network), Rhett Lewis (NFL Network), Jake Arians (The Draft Network), Joseph Zucker (Bleacher Report), Jason Pruett (NFL Draft Plex), Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) and Kevin Hanson (EDS Football) all had Owusu-Koramoah going with the
Lance Zierlein of NFL Network also had Washington selecting the former Notre Dame star and Butkus Award winner, but he had WFT trading down to No. 23 to grab him.
The next two favorite landing spots for Owusu-Koramoah was the Las Vegas Raiders with the 17th overall pick and the Cleveland Browns, who also had six projections for Owusu-Koramoah.
Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN), Jared Smola (Draft Sharks), Benjamina Albright (Pro Football Network), Scott Smith (Action Network), Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) and Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) all had the Raiders taking Owusu-Koramoah in that spot.
Charles Davis (NFL Network), Brentley Weissman (The Draft Network), Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports), Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) and the staff draft from Pro Football Focus all had the Browns taking Owusu-Koramoah with the 26th overall pick.
Peter King of NBC Sports also has the Browns taking the former Notre Dame star, but he has Cleveland trading up to No. 21 to make that pick.
Five analysts project the Jacksonville Jaguars to take Owusu-Koramoah with the No. 25 overall pick, while four of them were from The Draft Network (Jordan Reid, Kyle Crabbs, Trevor Sikkema, Benjamina Solak), and the other being Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports.
Four analysts projected Owusu-Koramoah to fall to No. 28 in the draft, where he would be picked up by the New Orleans Saints. Chad Reuter (NFL.com), Justin Melo (The Draft Network), Alexis Manasanarez (The Draft Network) and Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) all projected him to the NFC Scout squad.
Todd McShay (ESPN) and Zack Patraw (SI) projected the Miami Dolphins to take Owusu-Koramoah with the No. 18 overall pick.
Albert Breer (SI) projected Owusu-Koramoah to go to the New York Jets with the No. 23 overall pick, while Ryan Fowler (The Drat Network) projected him to go No. 27 to the Baltimore Ravens.
Joe Marino (The Draft Network) had Owusu-Koramoah going the highest, with the Denver Broncos trading down to No. 15 and selecting the Fighting Irish standout.
Only two mock drafts failed to project Owusu-Koramoah in round one.
LIAM EICHENBERG, OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Eichenberg, a consensus All-American in 2020, isn't the first round lock that Owusu-Koramoah was, but he picked up a lot of late first round action this week. Overall, Eichenberg was slated in the first round in 10 of the mock drafts I evaluated, which is less than half.
The Indianapolis Colts were the most frequent destination for Eichenberg, with five analysts projecting him to go in round one and another projecting him to the Colts in round two.
Drae Harris (The Draft Network), Scott Smith (Action Network) and Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) all slated Eichenberg to the Colts with the No. 21 pick. Chad Reuter (NFL.com) and Brentley Weissman (The Draft Network) have the Colts trading down to No. 29 to select Eichenberg, while Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has the former Irish blocker going to the Colts in round two with the No. 54 overall pick.
Eichenberg to the Baltimore Ravens was the second most trendy selection, with four analysts slating him to be paired up with former Irish teammate Ronnie Stanley.
Todd McShay (ESPN) has the Ravens taking Stanley with their first selection of the first round, which is the No. 27 overall spot. Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network), Jared Smola, Draft Sharks) and Joseph Zucker (Bleacher Report) all have him going No. 29 overall.
Jake Arians (The Draft Network) has the Jacksonville Jaguars picking Eichenberg in the first round, taking him with the No. 25 overall selection. In that scenario Eichenberg would be tasked with protecting the No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Seven mock drafts that actually went past round one have Eichenberg going in round two. Peter King (NBC Sports) has Eichenberg slated to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 38 overall, Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) has the Detroit Lions taking him at No. 41 overall, Tony Pauline (Pro Football Network) has the Las Vegas Raiders taking Eichenberg with the No. 48 overall pick, Pro Football Focus has Washington taking him at No. 51, Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting Eichenberg at No. 55, Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) has Eichenberg going No. 56 to the Seattle Seahawks and Zack Patraw (SI) has Eichenberg going No. 57 overall to the Los Angeles Rams.
TOMMY TREMBLE, TIGHT END
Every mock draft that went beyond two rounds had Tremble going in the third round.
Two analysts (Dane Brugler, The Athletic; Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network) have Tremble going No. 73 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
Two other analysts (Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News; Shane Hallam, Fake Pigskin) have Tremble going to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 85 overall pick.
Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has Tremble being picked by the Los Angeles Chargers with the No. 77 overall pick.
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has the Buffalo Bills taking the former Notre Dame tight end with the No. 93 overall pick.
Pro Football Focus has Tremble going No. 98 to the New Orleans Saints.
AARON BANKS, GUARD
Banks saw a wider range of selections, with the former Notre Dame All-American guard going anywhere from late in the second round to the fourth round.
Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has the Seattle Seahawks taking Banks with the No. 56 overall pick, which is late in the second round.
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has the Minnesota Vikings taking Banks in round three with the No. 78 overall pick.
Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) and Tony Pauline (Pro Football Network) have the Las Vegas Raiders taking Banks with the No. 79 overall pick, also in the third round.
Four analysts have Banks going in round four.
Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) has Banks going to the New England Patriots with pick No. 120, Pro Football Focus has the Las Vegas Raiders taking Banks with the No. 121 overall selection, Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) has Banks going No. 130 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has Banks going No. 137 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Banks is one of the early round wildcards. His talent + size + athleticism combination is that of a second round pick, but his inconsistency is what could cause him to slide. I’ll be on the lookout for him to get selected beginning in round two, and I’d be surprised if he gets out of round four.
ROBERT HAINSEY, OFFENSIVE LINE
Two-time Notre Dame captain and four-year starting right tackle Robert Hainsey went anywhere from round three to round rive.
Pro Football Focus had Hainsey going No. 88 overall to the Los Angeles Rams, which is in the third round.
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has Hainsey going to the New York Jets with the No. 107 overall pick, which is in round four. Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) has Hainsey going to the Denver Broncos with the No. 114 overall pick, while Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) has Hainsey going two spots later to the New York Giants. Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has Hainsey going to the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 127 overall pick.
Two more analysts have Hainsey going in the fifth round.
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has the New York Jets taking him with the No. 146 overall pick while Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) has Hainsey going to the Miami Dolphins with pick No. 156.
I would not be the least bit surprised if Hainsey goes in the third round and would be absolutely shocked if he falls past round four.
ADETOKUNBO OGUNDEJI, DEFENSIVE END
Some mock drafts didn’t have Ogundeji being selected at all, which I found quite surprising, and don’t see happening. The majority of the others have him going in the fourth round.
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Ogundeji with the No. 106 overall pick, which is very early in round four.
Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has the Cincinnati Bengals taking the former Irish edge player with the No. 111 overall pick, while Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) has him going just three spots later to the Denver Broncos.
Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) has Ogundeji going No. 126 overall to the Tennessee Titans, while Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has him going late in round four with the No. 142 overall pick to the Green Bay Packers.
Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) has Ogundeji going to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 174 overall pick, which is in the fifth round.
DAELIN HAYES, DEFENSIVE END
I don't believe any seven round mock drafts left Hayes out of the mix, but he ranged anywhere from round four to very late in round seven.
Two analysts had Hayes going in the fourth round.
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has the Pittsburgh Steelers taking Hayes with the No. 128 overall pick, while Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) has him being selected by the Baltimore Ravens with pick No. 136.
Two more analysts have Hayes going in round five.
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has Hayes being reunited with Julian Okwara and Romeo Okwara with the No. 153 overall pick, which belongs to the Detroit Lions. Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) has Hayes going two spots later to the San Francisco 49ers.
Two other analyst have Hayes going in the sixth round.
Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) has the New York Jets taking the former Irish end with the No. 186 overall pick, while Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has him going No. 216 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers were the only team to be projected to take Hayes in multiple mock drafts.
Pro Football Focus has the Green Bay Packers taking Hayes with the No. 256 overall pick, which is near the end of the seventh round.
IAN BOOK, QUARTERBACK
Five analysts projected Book to get selected, with all but one placing him in the sixth round.
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has Book going to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 189 overall pick.
Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has Book going to the Minnesota Vikings at pick No. 199.
Pro Football Focus has Book going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 217 overall pick, while Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) has him going one pick later to another NFL South squad, the New Orleans Saints.
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) has Book being selected in round seven, with the Miami Dolphins taking him with pick No. 231.
There were some mocks that had Book going undrafted.
If there is a round two and three run on quarterbacks I could see Book shooting up a couple of rounds, but if teams stick true to their boards and don’t reach for quarterbacks early the sixth round range is likely where Book lands.
TOMMY KRAEMER, GUARD
Four analysts have Kraemer being selected.
Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) had Kraemer going in the fifth round to the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick No. 170.
The other three analysts have Kraemer going in the sixth round.
Shane Hallam (Fake Pigskin) has Kraemer going No. 217 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has him going No. 219 to the Atlanta Falcons and Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) has Kraemer going No. 228 to the Chicago Bears.
NICK McCLOUD, CORNERBACK
Two mock drafts had McCloud being selected late. Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) has McCloud going to the Carolina Panthers with the No. 226 overall pick, which is round six. Chad Reuter (NFL.com) has him going to Washington with the No. 258 overall pick, which is very late in round seven.
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