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Ifeatu Melifonwu suited up for American Team in the 2021 Senior Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Mobile, Alabama. The former SU defensive back registered three tackles and two pass breakups while his team fell to the National Team, 27-24. 

In the first quarter, the 6-foot-3, 213-pound Melifonwu had tight man coverage on former Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick, jarring the ball loose on a back shoulder pass from former Texas QB Sam Ehlinger. The incompletion was one of two the DB forced Saturday. 

Various NFL Draft projections have shown Melifonwu as being drafted sometime between the end of the first round and the later stages of the third round. The Massachusetts native reportedly impressed scouts and reporters during his Senior Bowl practice week. His former teammate in the SU secondary, Andre Cisco, has been projected similarly. ESPN currently has Cisco as the third best safety in the draft and the 64th ranked player overall. 

Melifonwu played for the Orange from 2018-2020 before declaring for the NFL Draft on Dec. 18 and accepting an invite to the Senior Bowl the following day. During his three-year career at Syracuse, he played in 29 games at cornerback, notching 88 tackles along with three interceptions. He was a 2020 All-ACC selection after finishing second on the team in pass breakups despite teams typically avoiding him in their passing games.