The majority of NFL mock drafts that many of have seen heading into the meat of the virtual combine has seen at least one Notre Dame football member, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, being selected in the first round. As CBS Sports Ryan Wilson has expanded his mock draft to three rounds, no Irish players are projected in his first round.
This is a bit shocking, as the majority of draft analysts have JOK going somewhere in the drafts opening salvo. How the most recent Butkus Award winner and consensus All-American could drop out of the first-round is beyond comprehension.
Wilson has the linebacker being selected early in the second round, pick 35, to the Atlanta Falcons. In my estimation, there is no way that JOK falls that far in the draft.
Offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg is the next projected former Irish player to go off the board, reuniting with teammate Cole Kmet in Chicago with the Bears. At pick 52 in the second-round, this is a bit low, but much more reasonable projection as to where Eichenberg will get selected.
The final Notre Dame player Wilson has mocked is Tommy Tremble. The tight end is projected to land in the third round to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 88th overall pick.
Both Eichenberg and Tremble’s slots are legit, but having JOK fall out of the first-round is downright criminal.