Ifeatu Melifonwu Making Serious Progress At Safety
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu was limited to 17 total games in his first two NFL seasons due to injuries, but head coach Dan Campbell said he's seen growth in the 2021 third-round selection. Melifonwu made the switch from cornerback to safety before his second season, and he's making serious progress in adapting to the position ahead of Year 3. "So, this is one of the few times that we've had him for a significant amount of time, consistently, consecutively, and so that in itself is paying dividends right now," Campbell said during minicamp. "So, we see growth. He just needs time. He needs time on task, he needs reps, like a lot of young guys do." The 24-year-old defensive back is one to watch behind Tracy Walker and Kerby Joseph in Detroit's secondary.
The Detroit Lions think that third-year defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu's best fit with them is at the safety position. Melifonwu has missed quality practice time and game action in his first two years in the NFL due to ankle, hamstring and quadricep injuries, but head coach Dan Campbell expressed that he's seen growth on the field from the 24-year-old this offseason. He had a productive mandatory minicamp and was regularly showcasing his ability to be in position to break up plays in the passing game. "I'm way more comfortable than last year. Last year, everything was new. It was just, I had never played safety before, so it was just a big transition," Melifonwu said. He will give the Lions added depth in the secondary in 2023.
The Detroit Lions placed rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu (quadriceps) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and signed cornerback Daryl Worley to the active roster from the practice squad in a corresponding move. Melifonwu will miss at least the next three weeks after getting injured in the Monday night loss to the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Dan Campbell said that the third-rounder will miss significant time, so he could be out longer than three weeks. Former first-rounder Jeff Okudah (Achilles) is already out for the season, so Detroit's secondary has thinned out considerably early in the year. Amani Oruwariye and rookie A.J. Parker could be forced to start in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Lions defense will be attackable all season from a fantasy perspective.
Ifeatu Melifonwu Questionable To Return Monday Night
Detroit Lions rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu (thigh) suffered an injury on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers and is questionable to return. Melifonwu was injured early in the second half and walked off under his own power into the locker room with a team trainer. The 22-year-old had recorded two tackles and a pass defensed in the game before departing. Detroit's defense is pretty thin in the secondary, so this could have a major impact the rest of the way on Monday night against the Packers offense and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Melifonwu was drafted in the third round this spring. He might profile better as a safety in the long term, but he excels in press coverage near the line of the scrimmage.
The Detroit Lions selected Syracuse cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu with the No. 101 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft on Friday night. Melifonwu profiles as a risk/reward prospect that is a press corner with heaps of athleticism and length (6-foot-3, 213 pounds). He's also really explosive on the outside who can stick to receivers thanks to his impressive agility. But if Melifonwu is to be dominant in the NFL, he'll need to become more physical and improve his tackling. From a sheer talent standpoint, this is an excellent pick, and he could develop into a safety if cornerback isn't in the cards. Melifonwu strictly played right cornerback in college.
