An Early Look At Notre Dame’s Best 2021 NFL Draft Prospects
This time last year, Julian Okwara and Liam Eichenberg were Notre Dame’s top NFL Draft prospects a year out from their presumed selection, Cole Kmet the owner of 17 career catches and Chase Claypool a complimentary receiver.
Things change in a year. One more season can sends things wayward and skyward.
Okwara is still an expected high-round pick, but more likely to go on day two of this week’s draft. Kmet, meanwhile, rose from reserve to top tight end in the draft. Claypool became a team MVP and shredded the NFL Combine, cementing himself as a likely day-two selection.
Eichenberg won’t hear his name called this year, because Notre Dame’s starting left tackle returned to school for his fifth year. He is considered Notre Dame’s top prospect again – for the 2021 draft. The next season, if there is one, should bring some surprises and solidify others’ places.
Here is a way early look at the top 2021 NFL Draft prospects on Notre Dame’s roster, one year out.
Liam Eichenberg, Offensive Tackle
An up-and-down season with a team-high 11 penalties played a role in Eichenberg’s decision to return. But Pro Football Focus gave him an 85.6 pass-blocking grade and 78.8 run-blocking grade – both team highs and improvements from a poor 2018. He did not allow a sack.
Eichenberg has the frame NFL teams want in a left tackle and moves well enough to stick on the perimeter. He has requisite athleticism. The goal in returning is building his stock to a first-round level. If he’s taken in the first round, Notre Dame would have a first-round starter at left tackle for each season of the Brian Kelly era.
Tommy Kraemer, Guard
His season ended due to injury in the 45-14 loss at Michigan Oct. 26, but Kraemer enters the 2020 season as a well-regarded draft prospect. PFF gave him a 77.6 pass-blocking and 63.3 run-blocking grade pre-injury. The latter was a disappointment and a drop-off from 2018.
Still, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller dubbed Kraemer the most NFL-ready, best run blocker and best potential among guards who were draft-eligible for 2020. At 6-6 and 319 pounds, he is a massive presence and mover on the interior. Average explosiveness and athleticism may cap his draft ceiling.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker
Last year’s breakout star had 13.5 tackles for loss, the second most by a Notre Dame defender in a single season since Kelly arrived in 2010. It was essentially his first year playing at Notre Dame. He redshirted as a freshman in 2017 and broke his foot early in the 2018 season.
He began the year as Notre Dame’s starting rover and announced his arrival in the 23-17 loss to Georgia Sept. 28, with eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He capped the year with six quarterback pressures (per PFF) and a forced fumble in the Camping World Bowl, to go with 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
Owusu-Koramoah fits the mold of a three-level player NFL teams increasingly covet. He can line up off the edge, drop into coverage and play the middle of the field as a second-level run defender and underneath pass defender. PFF gave him a grade of 75 or higher for his tackling, pass rush, coverage and overall defense.
Ade Ogundeji, Defensive End
The late-blooming former Western Michigan commit was a reliable sub-package player for Notre Dame, notching 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Quietly, he was PFF’s second-highest graded defender (82.2) behind Khalid Kareem. The flashes from the Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson became more frequent in 2019.
Ogundeji is expected to slide into the starting strong-side defensive end spot vacated by Kareem, himself a projected mid-round pick this week. If he is able to keep progressing as a pass rusher, he could put himself firmly on the map as a draft pick. He also graded out positively as a run defender.
Tommy Tremble, Tight End
One guy who can play his way into obvious draft pick territory like Kmet did in 2019 is his successor. Tremble caught 16 passes and four touchdowns as a backup a year ago and is expected to slide into Kmet’s role. His combination of size (6-3, 235) and speed makes him an intriguing option to pile up yards as a downfield threat like Kmet did. He ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at The Opening Atlanta Regional in high school.
Kmet ranked second on Notre Dame in yards and catches despite a limited route tree, relying on physicality and athleticism. Tremble is faster, but not quite as physical a receiver as Kmet. In 149 snaps as a run blocker, though, PFF gave him an 84.6 grade.
Others To Monitor
• Quarterback Ian Book is a likely late-round pick given his size and limited arm strength. Raising his completion rate and yards per attempt back to their 2018 levels and displaying more aggressiveness throwing down the field would help more teams see him as a NFL Draft pick.
• Cornerback TaRiq Bracy is primed for another year of heavy snaps. He is small at 5-10 and 170 pounds, but continuing to build on his ball skills would give Notre Dame help in an area where Troy Pride Jr. sometimes struggled to make an impact. He had a team-high seven passes defended in 2019.
• Linebacker Drew White is small for his position and not particularly fast, but another year of high-level production could help him become more of a prospect in NFL teams’ eyes instead of just a guy who they know about.
• Vyper Daelin Hayes comes with clear injury concerns, but one final full season could help him get into the draft conversation. Moreover, his production as a pass rusher and run defender needs to improve.
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