Syracuse, N.Y. -- In order to land one of its most coveted recruits in the 2017 recruiting class, Syracuse football had to withstand a pursuit from Jim Harbaugh and his staff at Michigan.
Harbaugh dangled a scholarship offer in front of Ifeatu Melifonwu around the time he was set to take a recruiting visit to Syracuse University days before signing day.
The Big Ten blue blood saw what Syracuse did: the potential for Melifonwu to develop into a spitting image of a guy who would soon light up the NFL Scouting Combine and become a second-round pick of the Oakland Raiders -- his older brother, Obi.