80 Prospects in 80 Days: Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Each day leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we will take a look at prospects that should be on the Carolina Panthers' radar. We will look at roughly eleven prospects per round to give a better idea of potential draftees beyond just the first round.
Here's our schedule for the next 80 days:
1st Round: Feb. 8th - Feb. 21st
2nd Round: Feb. 22nd - Mar. 6th
3rd Round: Mar. 7th - Mar. 18th
4th Round: Mar. 19th - Mar. 29th
5th Round: Mar. 30th - Apr. 8th
6th Round: Apr. 9th - Apr. 18th
7th Round: Apr. 19th - Apr. 28th
Prospect No. 11: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6'1" Weight: 215 lbs
Draft range: Top 10-20
Analysis: Last year, the Panthers took safety/linebacker Jeremy Chinn in the 2nd round of the draft and if Owusu-Koramoah slips to the 2nd round or if the Panthers trade back, he should be someone they consider.
Aside from Shaq Thompson, the Panthers don't have much depth at linebacker, let alone a quality starter to go alongside Thompson. Although he is a bit undersized, Owusu-Koramoah has exactly what defensive coordinator Phil Snow is looking for - speed and versatility. He is one of the better pass coverage linebackers in this draft class but can also make his presence known at the line of scrimmage in helping stuff the run game. If Carolina didn't have such a big need at the quarterback position, this would be an almost perfect fit for the Panthers' defense.
Inside analysis from Bryan Driskell of Irish Breakdown on Sports Illustrated:
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is truly the modern-day linebacker that I believe is going to become more of a trend in the National Football League. As more teams look to adapt the “position-less football” this is the kind of second-level defender you want.
Owusu-Koramoah is an elite athlete that possesses exceptional quickness, fluidity, and lower body power. He is able to get to full speed in a hurry, and despite being between 210-215 pounds, Owusu-Koramoah has elite short-area quickness and explosiveness. His ability to power through ball carriers stands out, and it allows him to be a force against the run despite his lack of ideal size.
The Hampton, Va. native is able to cover slots and running backs due to that aforementioned athleticism. He’s able to easily transition in man coverage, he covers a ton of ground in the zone and he’s an instinctive football player that has a knack for making plays. He racked up 11 tackles for loss this past season and led the Irish with three forced fumbles despite opponent after opponent game-planning to avoid him.
His lack of size limits how much in-the-box he can do pre-snap, but he can be a weapon against the run in the right defense as an off-ball or flex defender. His ability to thrive as a cover man and pass rusher is where he provides game-changing tools. As long as he can hold up physically over the long haul, Owusu-Koramoah projects to be an impact defender at the next level.
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