By Ricky Eisenbart, PSO Director NFL Scouting
Apr 11, 2021

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here 

Pos: LB/DB

Hometown: Hampton, VA

School: Notre Dame

Class: Senior

DOB: 11/4/1999 (21)

Height: 6’1″ (50%) | Weight: 221 lbs (6%)

Hands: 8.87” (6%) | Arms: 33” (78%)

Bench: N/A | 40-YD: N/A

  • 2020 Butkus Award winner, unanimous All-American, ACC DPOY
  • More reps from the slot (331) than in the box (212)
  • Explosive and fluid athlete with long arms (33″)
  • Allowed under 62% CMP (21/34), forced 4 incompletions
  • Originally committed to UVA before de-committing for ND

Pros

  • Fluid athlete — 6.80s 3-cone (93rd %tile)
  • Explosive and quick in tight areas — 4.15s shuttle (85th)
  • Terrific length (33″ arms — 78th)
  • Well above-average closing speed for a LB
  • Adequate strength for a presence in the box

 

Cons

  • Average height for a NFL LB (50th %tile among LBs)
  • Lean frame — 221 pounds (6th)
  • Small hands — 8.87″ (6th)

 

Grade: A-

Pros

  • Coverage prowess around the box, boundary
  • Intriguing versatility — reps at OLB, S, slot CB
  • Great explosion in downhill pursuit
  • Comfortable in space — played to the “field” side
  • Outstanding ball skills and playmaking ability
  • Size didn’t seem to factor into his game too often
  • Consistently displays quality processing ability
  • Quick and slippery — difficult to get hands in his chest

 

Cons

  • Doesn’t stack-and-shed blocks that well
  • Tackling technique, pursuit angles can use improvement
  • Limited experience between-the-tackles and deep

 

Grade: A

 

Pros

  • Butkus Award winner, unanimous All-American, ACC DPOY (2020)
  • Took more snaps in the slot (331) than in the box (212)
  • Top-notch PFF coverage grade (82.3), 24th-rated LB (79.7)
  • 11th-most forced incompletions among LBs (4)
  • Impressive production near the LOS in 2019
  • 24.5 TFL, 7 sacks over 25 career games
  • Allowed less than 62% completion rate (21/34, 8 coverage stops)
  • Forced 5 fumbles in 25 games

 

Cons

  • 20 missed tackles over 2 seasons (13.8% MT rate)
  • Average pass-rush (72.1) and run-defense (75.5) grades
  • 19 run-stops in 2020 ranked 117th in CFB
  • Sack and TFL production fell from impressive 2019
  • Only 1 interception

 

Grade: A-

Pros

  • Leader of a championship-caliber defense
  • Playmaker in every facet of the game from various alignments
  • Versatile skillset that can be molded into a variety of roles
  • Terrific all-around athlete — explosive and fluid
  • Legitimate coverage ability from the box and slot
  • Processing skills and a very high motor
  • Held strong against some high-powered offenses

 

Cons

  • Broken foot wiped out most of 2018
  • Role/positional concerns — LB, S, slot CB, all?
  • Lean/small for LB, subpar speed for deep S
  • Missed tackles and overpursuit

 

Grade: A-

A native of Hampton, VA, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is one of this class’ most intriguing defenders. After recovering from a broken foot that wiped out his 2018 season, he finally got to see the field in 2019 and stuffed the stat sheet. Leading the Irish in tackles, sacks, and TFL, Owusu-Koramoah returned for his senior year and led the team in TFL, but finished 2nd by just one single tackle (62).

Technically listed as a LB, JOK was slotted into the hybrid “Nickel/Sam” role that gave him more time in the slot than near the box. Though JOK is  one of the few athletes in college football capable of fulfilling this role, at 6’1″, 221 pounds, he would certainly be one of the league’s smallest LBs.

Considering his size and coverage prowess, JOK’s NFL team should be willing to experiment. Plugging him into a variety of alignments and assignments will not only give both a better grasp of his skills and comfort zones, but also gives him ample opportunity to refine those skills in different facets of the game.

He might lack the straight-line speed to play single-high S, but his short-area quickness and fluid hips allow him to mirror RBs, TEs, and WRs alike. Paired with the tenacity and strength of a LB, JOK is the prototype of where the LB position trending towards — just not a universal scheme fit as of yet.

Pro Comp: S Jamal Adams (Seattle Seahawks)

Projected Round: Mid-1st Round

Prime Destinations: ATL, DET, DEN, NYG, NE, LV, MIA, WAS, NO, KC

OVERALL GradeA-

 

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