[tps_title]2017 NFL combine: 5 safety prospects to watch for the Dallas Cowboys[/tps_title]
[2/5] Obi Melifonwu, UConn (6’4″, 219)
Obi Melifonwu is a really intriguing prospect because of his size and athleticism. Without a doubt you’ll hear him compared to Kam Chancellor, but I think that would be an unfair comparison. Chancellor is more of an enforcer/box safety, while Melifonwu has the versatility to play around the line of scrimmage or in deep coverage.
The Dallas Cowboys may have a little bit more inside information on Obi since he played with with Byron Jones at UConn. How cool would it be to reunite the two of them together and solidify the backend of the Cowboys defense at the same time?
He has all of the athletic traits you look for in a safety and has plus ball skills to help create turnovers. He is good at taking the proper angle and tracking the ball when it’s in the air. His size will also allow him to match up well against tight ends as well.
He does struggle a little bit when turning to change directions. This is because he is little stiff in the hips due to his size, but it won’t stop teams from drafting him highly. Unfortunately, he may fall into no man’s land for the Dallas Cowboys. It may be a little rich to draft him and 28 and he may be gone by the time they are on the clock again at 60.
I expect him to perform really well in all of the different combine events, especially the broad jump and vertical jump.
“”I expect him (Obi) to perform really well in all of the different combine events, especially the broad jump and vertical jump.”
Man, you were prescient! He was the Combine’s best in both.
It’s
all about his game film. His athleticism really jumps out studying him.