Round 1, Pick 26: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
Turning 22 in May, Syracuse’s Ifeatu Melifownu fits the mold to be a first round cornerback prospect next week. Measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Melifonwu wields extraordinary length with 32.25-inch arms as well. His ability to move and change directions on tape is extraordinary for his size as well; he is not afraid to stick his nose into traffic either as he is strong in run support.
He also fits the analytical profile of an athlete as well, testing off the charts at his pro day, finishing the day with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.69. Melifonwu ran a 4.48 40-yard dash with extraordinary 10 and 20-yard splits and jumped out of the building as he proves to be plenty explosive. He hit 41.5 inches on his vertical jump (top two percent) and over 11 feet on his broad jump (top two percent).
As the Browns try to find the fit across from Denzel Ward, Melifonwu would be the opposite body type to deal with the bigger receivers of the AFC North. With Jaycee Horn and Greg Newsome II likely off the board, Melifonwu would be a tremendous option for the Browns to pursue. They cannot bank on Greedy Williams coming back to full health, and they have a philosophy to prioritize stopping the pass. Melifonwu fits the bill.