There is considerable hype surrounding Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for this upcoming season and rightfully so. After waiting two years to hit the field, Owusu-Koramoah was an absolute monster registering 8.5 sacks and 79 total tackles. We are tracking said hype and more came his way today as ESPN named Owusu-Koramoah one of the top 10 returning off-ball linebackers in the country.
The rising junior was 6th on the list, as ESPN used a combination of Pro Football Focus’ grades and win above average metric to comprise the rankings. Anthony Treash, who complied the list, noted that Owusu-Koramoah saw his play down the stretch improve, as PFF graded him out extremely well towards the end of the year.
Just a 3-Star prospect out of high school, Owusu-Koramoah didn’t have the elite offer list one would see out of a player with his impact. Brian Kelly and Clark Lea did a fantastic job identifying his talent and getting him on campus to coach up the linebacker. It’s evident the recruiting gurus and other coaching staffs evaluation was way off.
Owusu-Koramoah absolutely dominated Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl game, finishing with 3 sacks, 9 tackles, a forced fumble and recovery. Players always talk about using the bowl game to springboard into next year, and if Owusu-Koramoah does, the 2020 Irish opponents should be shaking in their cleats.