There is still plenty of time left before the 2021 Draft kicks off, but as we approach the end of the regular season we are beginning to get an idea of the draft order and areas of improvement for each team. Every year there a number of teams and prospects that look like a perfect match. Here I’m looking at the Green Bay Packers and why they should consider Notre Dame’s linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Owusu-Koramoah is regarded as anywhere between a mid-first and mid-second round pick. There is obviously no guarantee he will still be on the board when the Packers make their selection, but if he is he would be the ideal pick.
The Packers’ linebacker situation
Green Bay’s defense has been a problem at times this season and linebacker is an obvious area of need. Injuries have impacted consistency, but regardless of who has started, the level of performance has been concerning. Christian Kirksey leads all Green Bay linebackers in snaps with 406. His PFF defense grade of 37.4 ranks 103rd amongst qualifying linebackers. Ty Summers hasn’t been much better, with a 44.4 grade ranking him 96th, whilst Krys Barnes is 106th.
The lone exception has been the rookie Kamal Martin. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher was drafted in the fifth round and has been immediately impressive. Injuries have limited him to just 144 snaps all season, but his 74.9 PFF grade ranks 14th amongst linebackers and second amongst rookies behind the Falcons’ Mykal Walker.
Linebacker is one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL, given the diverse range of responsibilities and versatility required. To get an understanding of the issues facing Green Bay at the position, it is important to understand how the players have performed in the various roles required.
Run defense
I might as well start with the elephant in the room. Everyone knows the Packers run defense is a problem and has been for some time. They rank 23rd in rushing EPA and 22nd in rushing DVOA. This is a slight improvement on last year, where they ranked 31st and 27th respectively, but is still far below what is expected of a team with championship ambitions.
Any linebacker worth their salt has to be solid against the run, but this has not been the case for Green Bay this season. Kamal Martin is their highest graded run defender per PFF but still only ranks 29th across the NFL. Missed tackles have been a problem across the Packers defense this season and the linebacker are no exception. They have been responsible for 19 missed tackles on 179 attempts this season. For context, the unit had just 16 in the entirety of 2019.
Coverage
Perhaps more important than run defense is a linebackers ability in coverage. With the way the NFL is trending towards more pass-heavy schemes and more athletic personnel, linebackers need to be able to cover in space. Whilst a lot of the focus around Green Bay has been on the poor run defense, their struggles in coverage have gone somewhat under the radar.
Once again, Kamal Martin has been the standout here. Yet he has only 53 coverage snaps and had four targets on the season, hardly a big enough sample size to know whether or not this production will hold over time. The table below shows the numbers for the Packers linebackers with at least 100 coverage snaps in 2020. It is safe to say they aren’t encouraging.
| Coverage snaps | Targets | Receptions | Yards | TD | Int | PBU | QBR when targeted | |
| Christian Kirksey | 272 | 38 | 34 | 327 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 131.1 |
| Krys Barnes | 128 | 27 | 24 | 243 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 116.5 |
| Krys Barnes | 116 | 23 | 23 | 209 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 133.5 |
Pass rush
Whilst this is nowhere near as important as the other two areas, pass-rushing ability for a linebacker is important. The Packers don’t blitz often, ranking 22nd in blitz percentage. One thing Mike Pettine does like to do though is run zone blitzes. This involves a defensive lineman drops into coverage, with a linebacker filling in as an extra pass-rusher.
It is safe to say that the Packers have struggled again in this department this season. They have sent their linebackers on a blitz on 58 snaps, only ten of which resulted in any pressure. Having a blitzing weapon in the middle of the field isn’t essential in a linebacker, but it provides extra versatility and creates more problems for the offensive line and their protection scheme.
Why Owusu-Koramoah would be the perfect fit
With the Packers’ need at linebacker obvious, the next question is how they chose to address it. They may look to free agency, but there aren’t any big names likely to be available. There is also the reduced salary cap to consider and linebackers don’t come cheap on the open market. Their best bet is to look to the draft. This could be the year to do it and Owusu-Koramoah is the perfect player to go for. Here is a breakdown of his key strengths and why he would be a good fit for the Packers defense.
Coverage
Owusu-Koramoah’s biggest strength is his coverage ability. Thanks to his elite athleticism and speed he is able to cover a lot of ground and is comfortable matching up in man coverage. In two seasons with the Fighting Irish he has been targeted 66 times, allowing just 47 receptions for 397 yards. His numbers in 2020 are particularly impressive, allowing just 15 completions on 26 targets for 153 yards.
This is despite playing in a pretty demanding and versatile role for the Irish. 48 per cent of Owusu-Koramoah’s snaps in 2020 have come in the slot. This obviously sees him matching up against tight ends and slot receivers, which he does brilliantly . His PFF coverage grade of 79.0 ranked seventh amongst FBS linebackers with at least 250 coverage snaps.
You can see an example of his coverage prowess in the clip below. He lines up in the slot in man coverage against Courtney Jackson. His ability to play tight man coverage and be disruptive at the catch point look are the kind of traits you would expect from a cornerback and will be coveted in the NFL.
Run defense
Owusu-Koramoah’s speciality may be as a versatile linebacker in coverage, but he has been excellent against the run too. This is mainly down to his football intelligence and instincts, which are amongst the best in the class. One of the key things you look for in a linebacker is the direction of their first step and whether or not they can be fooled by misdirection.
There are multiple reps on tape where you see Owusu-Koramoah reading and reacting quickly to the offense, identifying the correct running lanes and shutting plays down. He packs a punch in his tackles too and his 24 defensive stops lead the team. His aggressive nature can sometimes lead to him taking poor angles, but as concerns go this is a minor one. He has 18 missed tackles on 130 career attempts, not bad numbers when you consider the role he plays in their defense.
The clip below encapsulates his processing speed and quick reactions. Initially blitzing from the slot, he recognised the toss play and closed on Travis Etienne straight away. The pressure caused Etienne to bobble the ball, which Owusu-Koramoah recovered and took for a touchdown. This was on college football’s biggest stage, in one the biggest games of the season.
Pass rush
Owusu-Koramoah’s ability as a pass rusher is just another string to his bow. Notre Dame love to use him as a blitzer thanks to his great speed (around 4.4 in the 40), and he’s been very successful. In 124 career pass-rushing snaps he’s clocked up 26 pressures. That is a similar rate to a player like Patrick Queen last season, who was regarded as one of the best blitzing linebackers in the 2020 class.
Notre Dame also like to line Owusu-Koramoah up on the defensive line as a legitimate edge rusher. He’s proven capable at going against tackles one-on-one in space and has sufficient pass-rushing moves to be considered a genuine threat off the edge. At his current size he is probably a little small to play this role in the NFL, but it is further proof of his versatility.
Owusu-Koramoah is the ideal fit for the Packers’ defense. He has been consistently effective against both the run and the pass in college and would bring versatility to the team that would be cherished in Mike Pettine’s defense. Pettine plays the most dime coverage (six defensive backs) in the NFL, but a player like Owusu-Koramoah would allow him to run nickel (five defensive backs) more often. By adding Owusu-Koramoah the Packers would add a run-stuffing weapon in the middle of the field without sacrificing the strong pass coverage that dime defense provides. His pass-rushing ability would provide new opportunities in terms of blitz packages that can help the Packers to better create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Green Bay may decide to go in a different direction in the draft, with wide receiver and defensive line both intriguing options. If they do decide to consider a linebacker for the first time in 15 years though, Owusu-Koramoah is the one.
