Syracuse cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu shines at Senior Bowl
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (BVM) — With the 2021 NFL Draft just months away, Ifeatu Melifonwu made sure Syracuse was well represented at this year’s Senior Bowl down in Mobile, Ala.
The standout cornerback for the Orange declared for the NFL draft back in December after a stellar junior season.
“I want to give a special thanks to my family who have been with me and supported me throughout my journey,” Melifonwu said in a statement on Twitter. “Ever since I was little, playing in the NFL has always been a dream of mine.. With that being said, I will be foregoing my remaining eligibility and officially entering my name in the 2021 NFL Draft.”
The Senior Bowl is an opportunity for college football standouts to work in front of NFL scouts and head coaches throughout a week of practice. In recent seasons, players like Justin Herbert and Jordan Love have helped improve their draft stock after exceeding expectations throughout the week.
Ifeatu Melifonwu showing up in 1-on-1's🍿 pic.twitter.com/2YBBpIeo15
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 28, 2021
Melifonwu impressed with his combination of size and speed as the cornerback measured in at 6-foot-2, 212 pounds. Melifonwu talked about what NFL teams would be getting from him in the upcoming draft.
“They would just be getting an all-around great corner,” Melinfonwu told Sports Illustrated a week before the Senior Bowl. “A guy with size, who can tackle, who’s not afraid of contact. Obviously [I can] cover, make plays on the ball. Size, speed, a student of the game, [and] likes watching film. A good teammate, never been in any trouble. Those are all the things that I would think any team that’s drafting me is getting.”
In his junior season, the defensive back recorded 10 passes defended and one interception in 11 games for the Orange. With the season starting as an unknown, Melifounwu is happy with the decision he made to not opt out.
“Definitely happy I stuck it out and played because it put me in this position that I’m in now,” Melifonwu said. “I definitely don’t regret not playing.”
Although passing on his final year with the program, Melifonwu has nothing but praise for his coaches and teammates.
“Syracuse has always felt like home to me since day one and I will never take that for granted,” Melifonwu said. “I want to thank Coach Babers and the entire Syracuse coaching staff from the past and present that have coached, mentored and helped me become the person I am today both on and off the field.”
Melifonwu will lean on his older brother’s experience, Obi, who went through the draft process in 2017 before being selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders.
With the NFL Combine being modified, Melifonwu will get his next opportunity to impress in front of scouts during an on-campus pro day.
