Notre Dame Football: Jeremiah Osusu-Koramoah the first defender off the board?

Dec 28, 2019; Orlando, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) celebrates his sack on Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy (15) (not pictured) during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2019; Orlando, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) celebrates his sack on Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy (15) (not pictured) during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Notre Dame football program is losing an elite talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is likely to be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. As we take a look around at the recent mock drafts heading into next month’s draft, we have seen JOK mocked all over the first round.

However, a recent mock draft really caught our attention, as it had the former Irish star going a lot higher than most have him being selected. The Detroit Lions currently hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and with the selection, Doug Farrar of USA Today likes them to take Owusu-Koramoah to be a cornerstone on their defense.

While this would be a best-case scenario for Owusu-Koramoah, him being selected this high would be downright shocking, but you never know what teams draft boards look like going into the most important date of the offseason

Notre Dame football star Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah built for the NFL game

What will make this draft season interesting will be how high JOK can rise, as he has everything you look for in an NFL linebacker. Not only is he a tremendous tackler, and possesses a high football IQ, he is also outstanding in coverage, something that is seen as a premium at the next level.

With tight ends and slot guys dominating in the NFL, having a linebacker who can take them away is paramount if you want to be a playoff team, and Owusu-Koramoah can give a team all of that and more. In fact, as off-the-field issues continue to arise in terms of Micah Parsons from Penn State, JOK has to be considered the LB1 of this draft class, which could catapult him into being selected in the top-10 picks next month.

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Owusu-Koramoah is an outstanding talent, and the Lions could certainly use more help on the defensive side of the ball, especially considering they have to play Aaron Rodgers twice a season. Realistically, I see JOK going anywhere from picks 16-27, but the Lions are an interesting spot as well, and they would be getting a potential captain of that side of the ball for years to come.