Dallas Cowboys Draft: Five Second Round Options at Cornerback
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys CB possibility No.3
Ifeatu Melifonwu
Syracuse
The buzz has somewhat cooled on Ifeatu Melifonwu but he still remains an excellent option for the Dallas Cowboys even if he’s not the hottest name on Twitter these days.
Where Samuel may be less than ideal as a Cover-3 CB, Melifonwu is the perfect match. At 6-foot-2, 205lbs, 32+inch arms, and 4.48 speed, he’s built to play on Dan Quinn’s defense.
He’s long, able to shadow WRs down the sideline and close windows to minuscule openings. He’s strong, able to match-up with physical receivers, and can play the run with proficiency. He’s fast enough to be able to be relied on in press-bail and Cover 3 looks.
Melifonwu will struggle with small quicker WRs and will likely draw flags for grabbing as a result. While that’s common with CBs his size, it’s not ideal. At the end of the day he’s tailor made for this Dallas Cowboys defense and will certainly be on Will McClay’s list come-what draft day.
He played well during Senior Bowl week, showing he can play against a variety of WRs with a variety of skills. Doing so raised his floor and made him a safer pick than initially thought. He presents good value at 44 and I wouldn’t hesitate to make the pick if he was the previous two were off the board.