Should Lions Target Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with No. 7 Pick?

Read more on whether the Detroit Lions should target Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with the No. 7 overall pick

The toughest ones to grade are the ones who do some things really well and other things not so well on film, and such is the case with Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. 

At first glance, he blew me away. But, the more I watched him, some deficiencies started to show up. 

Granted, great coaches know how to cater to a player’s strengths and scheme accordingly. 

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame - 6-foot-1, 216 pounds 

Grade: B- (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)  

Kelly’s draft board: Mid-second-third round  

Scouting Report

Instinctual run-and-hit, freelance coverage linebacker with excellent athleticism. Lacks consistency against the run. Very average take-on-and-shed ability and a very average motor. If there is a clear pathway to a running back’s lane or into the pocket on blitzes, look out, as this guy will light people up. Physical hitter. 

However, if he is contested, he often lets his foot off the gas and would rather end up by the pile than get in on the action. Will give some chase, and absolutely has the pure range to roam sideline to sideline. When blitzing off the edge, it's the same thing, as he relies on pure football speed to attempt to blow past tackles. And if that does not work, he tends to get tied up on the perimeter (see his game against Duke in 2020). Tends to lean into tackles, opposed to using his hands or pass-rush moves. 

A one-trick pony on the edge. Raw pass-rush ability. If he cannot get there with speed and athleticism, he is not getting there. Tends to apply more pressure than sack production. 

Phenomenal and high-impact pass coverage skills. A safety/corner in a linebacker's body. This is his game in coverage. This is his greatest strength. Able to get out and blow up defenseless running backs on screens, and can cover tight ends like a blanket. Capable of breaking up passes and stripping the ball, even to cause a fumble. Extremely impressive in coverage situations. Definitely has some play-making skills, but again only in situations when he is clean and can show off his speed and athleticism. 

This is the type of guy who is a heartbreaker. One moment he will wow you, but the next, he will leave you wanting more. More of a safety who can come downhill and play low in the box -- in the exact mold of a poor man’s Landon Collins from Washington and about the same size. An athlete playing linebacker. Will have to be used right and in a system that plays to his strengths, in order to have a high level of success in the league.

Owusu-Koramoah celebrates his sack of Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy / Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

In the words of my NFL scouting mentor, “If someone shows you who they are, believe them.” 

And that is where I think the most mistakes are made in the draft. Teams try to manufacture players, as opposed to accepting what they show on film as who they are. 

Teams fall in love with the pro days, cone drills and the interviews, while what is on film fades in the background. 

The fact that Owusu-Koramoah's sack production fell off from 8.5 (2019) to 1.5 (2020) must also not be ignored. 

In 2020, he applied more pressure charging clean into the pocket than anything else when blitzing. This is exactly the type of player who will be overhyped and overvalued.  

There is no question that Owusu-Koramoah can play at the next level. But, I can not stress enough that it has got to be with the right system. 

Should the Lions take him at No. 7? My answer is no and for a couple of reasons. 

First, the last thing in the world Detroit needs is another underachieving linebacker, in terms of traditional linebacking play on run defense and in regard to his motor. 

Second, the Lions need more out of this pick. They need more of a consistent, high-impact and complete player with high energy to build with. I would take Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton way before Owusu-Koramoah.  

Owusu-Koramoah is much better suited for a contending team that is a piece or two away. 

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