2021 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles target DeVonta Smith, Bears settle on Mac Jones
By Randy Gurzi
Pick Analysis. LB. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Scouting Report. Notre Dame. 15. player. 47
At No. 15, the New England Patriots are on the clock and they have quite a few holes to fill. For the first time since 2008, they failed to make the playoffs — thanks to the fact that Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ironically enough, that 2008 season when they missed the playoffs, they were also without Brady after he tore his ACL in Week 1. They did win 11 games that year, but it wasn’t enough to make the playoffs.
This past season, they limped to a 7-9 record as Cam Newton wasn’t an ideal replacement for Brady. With his style of play not fitting what the Pats do, they are going to move on from Newton and that will lead to some speculation that they’ll go for a quarterback here. However, Bill Belichick seems to think he can find one without using a day one pick, which means they will go elsewhere with this pick.
Where we land in this mock is on Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He might not have the ideal size for a linebacker but Owusu-Koramoah is a fantastic player who can destroy an offense’s game plan. Belichick prefers to win with great defense, and that won’t change even without Brady on offense.