Jeremiah Owusu-Karamoah’s role with the Cleveland Browns

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s unique role with the Cleveland Browns is exactly what this defense needed to take the next step in 2021

Just when everyone thought Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns couldn’t get more impressive, they snagged what could be the steal of the draft in Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Coming into the draft Owusu-Koramoah was regarded as a top 3 linebacker, but surprisingly found himself falling to the second round. This was from teams questioning his true role in their defense, due to his unique build and play style. Luckily for the Browns, they were in a situation to trade up from 59th and grab him 52nd overall. His falling that far may be the best to happen to Cleveland the entire draft.

Owusu-Koramoah is the perfect complement to what is already in Cleveland’s linebacking room.

He is an intense player that provides the much-needed element of pass coverage and sideline to sideline quickness. What really separates him from the rest of the defense is his motor and game speed. There’s no other way to put it, he is a heat-seeking missile.

He doesn’t tackle players, he runs through them and is always looking for the big play. He may be considered undersized for your traditional linebacker. But don’t get it wrong, he is no traditional linebacker. He is a unique linebacker/safety hybrid that can play linebacker. Owusu-Koramoah could be the do it all gadget in defensive coordinator Joe Woods’ 4-2-5 system.

With the high emphasis on secondary in this system, he could find himself playing a larger nickel and safety role. His pass coverage ability will be highly valued, due to the lack of pass coverage ability within the rest of the linebacking core. Expect to see him on early and passing downs.

His biggest role and responsibility will be to stop tight ends in the passing game. He was heavily utilized as a safety in coverage at Notre Dame, and don’t expect that to change now. Cleveland is in the bottom half of the league when it comes to covering tight ends, and players like Mark Andrews have had their way with our linebackers for years. Owusu-Koramoah’s fluid coverage ability may put an end to that once and for all.

His pass coverage ability is not the only thing he will bring to the table. His ability to be effective as a pass rusher is also very intriguing. Owusu-Karamoah plays with such high speed and intensity that he brushes off blocks like they weren’t there. He is a very downhill player when he needs to be and can line up anywhere on the field. The ability to have him blitz from the linebacker and safety position will be too good to pass up on for Joe Woods.

Finding a true position may not ever be a thing for Owusu-Koramoah, at least not right off the bat. Expect to see experiments with his skill set to see how he can change the way our defense is ran and the way he is utilized. Even if he is not in a true position, he will be making an impact, especially in the passing game.

Jeremiah Owusu-Karamoah’s versatility is beyond the perfect fit for the Cleveland Browns. Woods has a love for safeties, and the Browns needed a linebacker that was good in pass coverage. Somehow they managed to check both of those off with just one draft pick. Expect to see him all over the place next year, and don’t get comfortable seeing him play just one position and role.

The Notre Dame product may be the last piece of the puzzle missing for this Cleveland Browns defense.