Butkus Award Winner Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Enters NFL Draft
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the original rover recruit, a certified havoc-wreaker, All-American and Butkus Award winner, is heading to the NFL.
Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame’s senior rover linebacker, announced Monday afternoon he is heading to the NFL Draft and bypassing a fifth year of eligibility.
He began his Irish career as a last-minute addition to Notre Dame’s 2017 class and the first player then-defensive coordinator Mike Elko recruited to play the rover position, a linebacker/safety hybrid. He ends it as the Irish’s most decorated and dominant defensive player of the last two seasons, and firmly in the first-round discussion.
The 6-2, 215-pound Owusu-Koramoah started every game of the last two seasons, both dominant campaigns. In 25 starts at rover, he totaled 24.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, seven pass breakups and five forced fumbles.
His senior season was a showcase of his versatility – an ability to play run, rush the passer and cover slot receivers and running backs. He had 62 tackles, a team-high 11.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups, an interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 23 yards for a touchdown. He won the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best linebacker.
Before his outburst, though, Owusu-Koramoah spent two quiet years on the bench. He redshirted as a freshman in 2017 and sustained a season-ending injury in 2018 after appearing in two games, both on special teams. He took hold of the rover job during 2019 spring practice when incumbent Asmar Bilal moved to buck linebacker.
Elko and then-linebackers coach Clark Lea hand-picked Owusu-Koramoah to play the rover position in their defense shortly after both arrived from Wake Forest in the 2016-17 offseason. They had recruited him as Demon Deacons coaches and secured his commitment on National Signing Day in 2017, flipping him from a prior pledge to in-state Virginia and fending off Michigan State.
Owusu-Koramoah is one vote away from unanimous All-American Status. He will earn it if he is a first-team selection on the Walter Camp All-America team.
Notre Dame’s task of replacing him could start with Ohio State grad transfer Isaiah Pryor, who was the primary backup at rover and has eligibility for next season. It’s also worth noting rising senior Paul Moala held that role before suffering a season-ending knee injury in early October. Four-star 2021 signee Prince Kollie was recruited to play rover.
That may be moot, though, if Notre Dame’s to-be-determined new defensive coordinator chooses to run a scheme that does not involve the position.
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