The New England Patriots signed former Oakland Raiders second-round pick Obi Melifonwu and the athletic freak could prove to be a steal for them, and this could be a great fit for him as well
It was a fall far from grace for one of the biggest stars in the 2017 NFL Draft Class. Obi Melifonwu blew up the combine and scouts were in love with his size and athletic prowess. In the end, the former Connecticut star landed with the Oakland Raiders as a second-round pick.
His rookie season was pretty much wasted as injuries limited him to just five games, but then things got worse as he spent training camp in new coach Jon Gruden’s doghouse. Eventually, he was released and after making a few visits, he landed with the New England Patriots.
While his journey may not have gone as he expected, this is the best possible fresh start he could have asked for — it could also be another huge steal for the Patriots who have taken many castoffs and helped them become stars.
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One of the most recent examples of this is Josh Gordon. The former Cleveland Browns receiver has opened up the passing game after his original team gave up on him.
They have also impressed with the way they’ve gotten more out of receiver/running back Cordarrelle Patterson than his previous two stops, which includes the aforementioned Raiders. New England has also had a long run of success with Patrick Chung at safety, despite him failing to catch on with other teams in between his stints with the Pats.
While Melifonwu won’t likely come in and unseat Chung, he’s got the talent to be a starter in the future. He also showed enough cover skills that the Patriots will likely use him in sub packages where he covers players in the slot.
So far this season, New England is surrendering 274.2 yards per game through the air (according to NFL.com). His addition gives them a player who won’t alleviate their issues, but he can help.
Listed at 6-4 and 224 pounds, Melifonwu put up an impressive 44-inch vertical jump, a 141-inch broad jump, and a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. That kind of athleticism can be a game changer on the back end of the defense, and New England will be happy to use him there.
The key will, of course, be his health. Melifonwu hasn’t been able to stay on the field to this point in his career. However, if he gets past that problem, he’s found the perfect home to cash in on his promise.
And the Patriots just found another reclamation project that can make them look brilliant.