The Syracuse Orange didn’t have a great 2020 football season, but some of its defensive backs have had standout performances. Two have already declared for the NFL draft, and a third is on his way. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday evening that Ifeatu Melifonwu will head to the 2021 NFL draft. Melifonwu later confirmed the report on his twitter page.
Melifonwu had an excellent junior season as Syracuse’s primary outside cornerback. He was the highest graded overall defender for the Orange by Pro Football Focus with a 78.8 grade. Melifonwu also received the highest coverage grade for Syracuse by PFF with a 79.