One of the bigger surprises of last week’s draft was that Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah fell to the second round. Owusu-Koramoah, the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year, a unanimous All-American, and winner of the Butkus Award for the nation’s top linebacker, was widely considered a first-round talent, but he had to wait until the Browns traded up to the No. 52 overall selection to hear his name called.
And now we have some clarity on that front. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Owusu-Koramoah had a heart issue that came to light late in the predraft process, which was a concern for most teams (Twitter link). Though the 6-1, 221-lb ‘backer was medically cleared, the issue contributed to his draft-day slide.
But a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that there is nothing wrong with Owusu-Koramoah’s heart, and a source close to the player himself said he has never heard of any heart issue. During an interview on The Jim Rome Show today, Owusu-Koramoah said, “I never really had any heart issues or anything going on there. You know, you hear a lot of things, but you’ve got to get it from the source.”
One would think that there would be a little smoke to this fire, since plenty of teams passed on a player of Owusu-Koramoah’s upside, but color Cleveland GM Andrew Berry unconcerned. “[T]here’s no issue that would prevent him from being productive short- or long-term,” Berry said.
Indeed, Berry even considered taking Owusu-Koramoah with the No. 26 overall pick. Berry has worked hard to upgrade the Browns’ defense this offseason, and Owusu-Koramoah is a big part of that. The Golden Domer is something of a classic ‘tweener, but that’s becoming less relevant in today’s NFL. His speed and instincts should serve him well in a traditional LB role, and he could also get some looks at safety. He lined up at safety and even as a slot corner in college.
Still won’t win you a SB. BAKER can not win in the NCAA & won’t in the NFL. Bummer
Damn, you got lottery numbers too?
a lot qbs aren’t gonna win a super bowl if mahomes keeps doing his thing.
Any team that has a running back run out of bounds instead of scoring a 40 yard TD to go up 10 with under a minute in the game will never win anything, browns need to completely clean house with any employee from owner to concession worker who was there last year before they will ever win a super bowl, biggest “we are losers” move I’ve ever witnessed
That’s gotta be the dumbest thing I’ve read this week, parx
That is the absolute dumbest thing I’ve heard and I’ve been in basic training for the past 3 months
And the Clowns thought they got a steal. JOK(e) is on them.
You didn’t even read the article did you? Tard
What is a “color gm?
That’s not what it says. It says “color [him] unconcerned.” Like “color me impressed” or “color me [insert adjective of your choosing].” It’s a common phrasing.
Yeah, but it’s still a little awkward for a sentence. Even knowing the phrase I got a little confused.
Ah, read it again and it makes sense.
“Never really had . . .” doesn’t sound too convincing to me. I hope he ends up having a great career and can overcome whatever obstacles are in his way.
He hit drafted where he was valued at. He’s a player without a position and went to a school that the media overvalues it’s players
He has a position. It’s called all over. Much harder to account for
“[T]here’s no issue that would prevent him from being productive short- or long-term,”
I’m not too impressed by a GM who would trade up in the second round for a player he thinks might only provide short term help…you could sign a FA for that.
And he didn’t do that, did he…
Nothing extraordinary about teams not wanting a guy that doesn’t fit their usual defensive scheme.
Ummm, he definitely would’ve fit Saleh’s scheme if the Jets took him at #34. I have no qualms with the Elijah Moore pick, but I definitely could’ve seen them taking JOK there. The heart issue would explain why they passed up on him there, just like they did on Jabril Cox due to his shoulder surgery later.
So he thinks that teams made up this heart issue? Get it from the source? I mean that’s ludicrous. Another player was still drafted in the first round. I believe a CB despite his health issues. This sounds like sour grapes
Dropping from mid-1st to mid-2nd probably cost him about $10mil so I’d be sour too lol
His health is most important, but his play could remedy that situation. La’el Collins was a projected first rounder a few years ago, but signed as a UDFA with the Cowboys after a legal issue came up during the draft because he was a “person of interest.” I don’t believe he was charged but it led to everyone passing on him. I think he’s doing ok financially now.
He’s sour about the truth, the truth cost him 10mil not some made up health reason
So his health concerns dropped him that far yet Justin Fields’ health concerns didn’t really drop him and he still went 11th overall?