The New England Patriots bolstered their secondary on Monday with the signing of former Oakland Raiders defensive back Obi Melifonwu.
There is another reclamation project putting on the New England Patriots uniform. On Monday, the team signed former Oakland Raiders defensive back Obi Melifonwu. While he doesn’t come with any baggage, his is a talented high-round pick who is still trying to find his way on the field consistently NFL.
Joining the Patriots headed by Bill Belichick is the perfect opportunity for him to do that.
Drafted by the Raiders in the second-round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Melifonwu has only played in five games in the NFL due to number of injuries. While one would think a team would give a player selected that high more time to get on the field, the University of Connecticut product was a casualty of John Gruden’s wholesale in Oakland.
As usual, another’s trash may just turn into treasure for the New England Patriots if Melifonwu stays healthy. He has the size (6-3, 224 pounds) and talent to help the team in the secondary and provide Belichick and the defensive unit more versatility. He is also a nice replacement for Eric Rowe who the team lost to IR.
In talking about what Melifonwu brings to the table, Belichick didn’t offer much, but his brief statement about the talented defensive back shows that the coach is putting the weight on the players shoulders to see how things work out.
"“He has a good skill set,” Belichick said on Wednesday. “He’s smart. We’ll see how it goes.”"
Patriots fans will certainly be watching to see how the former Uconn star performs in New England. Here are three things to know about Obi Melifonwu.
New England is his home
A Massachusetts native, Obi Melifonwu played for the Uconn Huskies. During those four years in Storrs, the talented and athletic defensive back racked up 221 solo tackles and had eight interceptions.
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He was touted as the most athletic NFL prospect when he entered the draft in 2017. He opened eyes at the NFL Combine that year with a 44-inch vertical and ran a 4.40 40-yard dash. You can see just why the New England Patriots are taking a chance on this kid.
After the signing, Melifonwu is definitely excited about returning to the Northeast and having a chance to get his career back on track with an organization such as the Patriots and also being a part of New England sports in general.
"“It feels like a blessing, honestly. I’m just glad to be back home with my friends and family. It’s a team that I’ve grown up watching,” Melifonwu told the Boston Herald. “They’re such a great organization. I’m just so proud to be a part of it.”"
With the amount of emphasis, the team puts on the safety position, Obi Melifonwu will have an opportunity to finally show what he can do on the field. If he can stay healthy and pick up the system.
He said “being a Patriots was the best thing” for him. We certainly shall see.
A big fan of Boston sports
If things work out with the New England Patriots for Obi Melifonwu he will fit right into the Boston sports scene.
Growing up in Massachusetts, the safety not only grew up a Patriots fan, but also the other Boston sports team. To say he was in awe of finally watching a Patriots game as a fan Sunday night is an understatement. Especially with the team honoring the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox prior to the game.
"“The performance the Sox had against the Dodgers was unbelievable. Being from Massachusetts, how great New England sports are, it’s incredible,” Melifonwu said. “So being at Gillette (Sunday night) was extremely special to me. I’ve lived in Massachusetts my whole life, really. The Patriots have been my favorite team since I started watching football.”"
Sounds like a boyhood dream coming to life for Obi Melifonwu. To be in a championship atmosphere and apart of the brotherhood shared amongst the athletes of all four major sports will be an inspiration for a player who grew up admiring those same teams.
Like World Series MVP Steve Pearce, Melifonwu just may have a chance to help his favorite team growing up win a championship.
Plagued by injuries
Now there is a reason a player drafted as highly as Obi Melifonwu was available for the New England Patriots to sign just a year after he was drafted.
Besides a lack of patience by the Oakland Raiders, that reason was of course injuries.
The Patriots have drafted their share of players with an injury history, so it is no surprise the team is willing to take a flyer on Melifonwu. With his speed and athleticism, why wouldn’t they?
Melifonwu begin the 2018 season on injured reserve after having knee surgery. Prior to that he was hampered with an ankle injury, but he appears healthy enough for the Patriots to have signed him after bringing him in for a workout.
Now that he is healthy, the New England Patriots are hoping to use him in the same way the Raiders were trying to. He can play that safety/hybrid role in the dime package. His speed and size will help him cover tight ends and running backs, two positions the Patriots defense has had trouble covering over the past few seasons.
If he picks up the system and stays healthy, Bill Belichick may have hit the jackpot with a player who certainly wants to be in New England.