225 lbs., 6-4, 4.40, crazy jumps. 4 year starter at UConn. Can play either safety. Good range. Not super violent but sound tackler. No character issues. Can play nickel against big tight ends. Can rock Jedi nicknames.
Dude has that combination of crazy athleticism and a sound career in college (at not a huge program).
Just draft Melifonwu ©
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Sure rd2
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from doing Fanspeak lately he rarely gets passed LAC/Buffalo in the 2nd.
i wouldn't mind taking him at #22 -
Imo it's too much to invest in the least important position on D, we already have more invested in the S position in just one player than most teams do with both starters.
The majority of S's are either, not talented enough to be CBs, or not big enough to be LBs, it's a "leftover" position, we have a superstar S, we can't expend so much at that position.
Same goes for Lamp, too much invested on the Oline to be spending 1st round picks on Gs, we have to be able to do what all the other good teams do and draft these type players later.
Imo, the 1st round list for our team in our position should only include DL, LB and CB.P h i N s A N i T y likes this. -
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Saying that a safety, especially with how the game is played nowadays, is the "least important position on D" is just ridiculous and flat out false. That statement may of had some merit 10-15 years ago, but it's totally wrong today.
If the Dolphins can get someone like Peppers or Obi what they're getting is a person who can play nickel/slot corner, play inside on nickel packages, cover the slot receiver, cover the TE, AND do traditional S work (blitz, stop the run, and act as a safety net for their CB's, etc).
A player with agility, size, and speed, a la Obi and Peppers, would be the best FIRST pick for this defense. They would both be the best athletes on the field and help everyone else on the field.Base of Gase, texanphinatic, Dol-Fan Dupree and 2 others like this. -
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Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalkdanmarino likes this. -
*Edit: However, you'd have to take into account pepper's return ability. He's fantastic. And I know we have Grant, and I love the kid, but what if he doesn't progress? -
As someone living in Seattle and watching most of their games, I see a lot of benefits in having two great safeties. One of the reasons why they have one of the best defenses of all time.
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I have an issue with saying oline is off the table simply because we have to much invested in it already. While it may be true, it's also true that the oline is still a massive concern. You have to keep investing until you get it to work.
That all being said, I'm not advocating for a first round pick on a guard, I think the defense definitely needs help.Last edited: Apr 21, 2017Base of Gase and danmarino like this. -
At the same time though I think there's a really good chance we are missing legitimately special defensive players if we take that approach at the top of this draft which is probably a long term mistake. (IE we could find another Forrest Lamp in the future easier than we can find some of the defensive talent that will be on the board.) I also think we have some battered fan syndrome because of how bad both our scouting department has been at finding mid round guard talent and our coaching staff has been on developing it. You don't have to take round one guards to get quality at the position. We have just been crapping the bed at it for so long there is a healthy amount of desperation.
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The more jobs a players can do the better..this guy is a weapon that can help us win games that we currently don't have..danmarino likes this. -
Finally an area where we do have a need and peppers could be great is as a nickel linebacker, however the nickel linebacker position is not an every down position and not worth a first round pick.
Peppers is just not a good fit for us right now. He needs to go to a team that actually needs a great strong safety which is his best and natural position.
For us I think we should draft either Obi, Budda Baker, Josh Jones or Marcus williams who can all fill our need at free safety better than peppers.
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I disagree on Obi being technically sound, technique is the problem with Obi or he's be the 1st S taken, he is a physical specimen that has some cover issues, he's not an NFL FS at this point, he could be, but no guarantees.
I don't think he'd be covering TEs too much, he'd be the FS, they aren't going to take Jones out of his wheel house, we need LBs that can cover TEs.
I think we'll be fine with McDonald at FS. -
I'd be fine going with a safety if he's BPA. I wouldn't rule out any position aside from K, P and LS.
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He's not wart-free. Even Myles Garrett isn't wart-free. He gets bullied a little too much by wide receivers and tight ends on run plays which is why someone of his athletic ilk would be available at 22, but nowhere on his tape is there any inkling that he can't play FS in the NFL. Watch the games, you'll see his range. He tracks the ball well on deep throws and can cover serious ground in the back end. He squares up and, for the most part, is a textbook tackler. Will we be fine with McDonald at FS for the first 8 games? Will we be fine with McDonald if he gets caught violating the drug abuse policy again? Will we be fine if Nate Allen gets injured again? Are we going to have the money to resign Allen if he has a Renaissance? Instead of posting hunches, like you did with Tannehill vs. Moore, give me concrete examples of why he can't play FS in the NFL. I don't care if what you posted are hunches if you prefaced it so, but you're trying to pass it off as matter-of-fact that it kinda comes across as throwing darts in the dark. -
Nickel? Vs large WRs maybe, vs small quick WRs he's toast. His coverage is where he's lacking, you say he has some warts, he is the best physical specimen at the position coming out this year, if he was technically sound he'd be a top 5 pick.
I am not saying he can't play FS, I'm saying he'll need work, he is at his best attacking, he gets a bit lost in coverage at times, takes bad angles, reacts late at times and gets himself in the wrong position, that's why he's projected as a 1-2 round pick with all his physical abilities.
Bottom line, McDonald is probably a better FS, and if that is the case, what a waste of a 1st round pick that would be. -
https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbss...-an-unknown-to-a-likely-first-round-pick/amp/danmarino likes this. -
There's a reason for that, like I said, if he was technically sound he'd be a top 5 pick, the fact is, because of his physical traits he will probably be over drafted.
I'm not saying he can't be a great player, especially at SS, but he is a bit of a project at FS imo, my take on him is based on watching game tape, so it's just my opinion from what I've seen. -
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High School: "Played both running back and defensive back in high school ... rushed for 1,394 yards in senior year with 17 touchdowns ... made 14 tackles on defense and had three interceptions..also had ten two-point conversions ... named to the ESPN Boston All-State team ..rushed for 320 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Leichester in 2011..was also a long jumper and triple jumper on the track team."
http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/obi_melifonwu_809934.html
Took me a couple of seconds to find that on a google search.Steve-Mo likes this. -
He does have potential to be a great player, but so do a lot of guys.
He is ranked as the 4th S by CBS, he is not rated as a FS by them, but has a draft stock of 1-2, Gil Brandt has him as the 69th best player, NFL.com has him as the 9th best S.
I watched game tape and saw a SS, I'm not sure he'd be a better FS than McDonald, so why would I draft him?
That's my opinion, we can agree to disagree.
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