NFL Draft 2021: Buffalo Bills met with Ifeatu Melifonwu at Senior Bowl

This week there have been more reports coming out about which prospects the Buffalo Bills have recently been meeting with. The Bills reportedly met with University of Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson recently and Ryan Talbot of NY Upstate is reporting the Bills met with Syracuse University cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu at Senior Bowl.

Talbot goes on to say the team had a ‘real good meeting’ with the defensive back.

Syracuse University hasn’t been known for its football program for two decades but Melifonwu has a chance to be the third player since 2003 to go in the first round of the NFL Draft from the program.

Melifonwu is a big, physical corner at 6’3″ and 215 pounds and played in 23 games over three seasons for the Orange. He had 88 total tackles, one sack, 19 passes defended, and three interceptions.

One of the reasons the Buffalo Bills could be interested in Melifonwu is the size that he has could allow him to be used in a big nickel situation or asked to cover tight ends. This is something the Bills struggled with last year as players like Travis Kelce had big games against this defense.

The cornerback position is one that the Buffalo Bills are going to need to address this offseason. The team currently has only four players under contract (Tre’Davious White, Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis, and Taron Johnson) while Levi Wallace is likely to return as he is a restricted free agent.

Even if Wallace is to return, the Bills could use more depth and a player like Ifeatu Melifonwu makes sense. He can bring some size and physicality that is lacking and has the versatility that is often coveted by Sean McDermott and this coaching staff.

If the Buffalo Bills were to add a cornerback early in the NFL Draft like Ifeatu Melifonwu it could be the answer they have been looking for in recent years at the position opposite Tre’Davious White.