(Photo: Icon/Sportswire)
Jeremiah Owusu- Koramoah prowled amongst the Notre Dame linebacking corp from 2017 -2021. During that time he developed a reputation as a lightening quick defender who didn’t just make tackles, rather he exploded into tackles.
Owusu-Koramoah entered ND as a three-star recruit and the word was that he was loaded with potential but had a long way to go in his development. Originally a commitment to Virginia, he was flipped very late in the process by newly hired defensive coordinator Mike Elko, who saw him a prototype to play the rover position he was bringing to ND. Young for his class at just 17 years of age upon showing up in South Bend, the promise looked to be there, but the development was slow. He did not register a single tackle his first two seasons at ND. In 2017 he spent the year on scout team and in 2018, he suffered a broken foot during practice two games into the season.
He fully recovered from that injury, and came up big during the Spring of 2019 and was one of the buzzes of the Blue Gold game. He then went on to start throughout 2019 and rapidly ascended to star status. On that season he stuffed the stat sheet with 80 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four passes broken up 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.
Owusu-Koramoh followed up that breakout season with another outstanding campaign in the shortened pandemic year of 2020. He finished 2nd on the team in tackles to Kyle Hamilton, and his reputation went national for his bone crushing tackles.
After ND’s 47-40 overtime victory over Clemson, he was named the national defensive player of the week. On that day he tallied 9 tackles, a sack, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble and a 23-yard scoop and score in the game’s 2nd quarter.
After his senior the honors rolled in. Among them, Butkus Award Winner, ACC Defensive player of the year and perhaps the most prestigious, he was a unanimous first team All-American.
Owusu-Koramoah was a Film major at ND and become known for his appreciation of the fine arts. Among his interests are photography, singing, drawing, poetry ,ministry, fashion design, and public speaking. Those are not the sorts of things normally come to mind when you consider the violent way he plays the game of football!
Owusu-Koramoah was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft (52nd overall) by the Cleveland Browns, and is now in his third season as a starter.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, another Fighting Irish Preview, All-Time Irish Hero.