Draft and develop. As a Packers fan this statement over the years has become akin to pairing a bratwurst with our favorite beer on Sunday afternoons. It’s a philosophy that Ted Thompson continuously promotes and has obstinately stuck by for his entire tenure as the Packer’s GM. While other talent evaluators across the league will dip their toes into the free agent market, Thompson almost exclusively limits his options for player procurement to the NFL Draft and undrafted free agency.
Green Bay Packers should draft Obi Melifonwu
The Packers have seen a few starters and several key contributors depart Green Bay this offseason, among them were; T.J. Lang (Lions), Eddie Lacy (Seahawks), Micah Hyde (Bills), and Julius Peppers (Panthers). While the signings of Martellus Bennett, Lance Kendricks and Davon House patched some voids, the Packers are still in need of an injection of talent at numerous positions on each side of the ball. This is especially true in regards to the Packers secondary, ranking 31st in the league against the pass this past season. It is pertinent that Ted Thompson should address this issue early and perhaps often in the upcoming draft if the Packers want to avoid the same results this upcoming season.
Enter Obi Melifonwu. Melifonwu was a standout at the Senior Bowl and backed that up with an equally impressive combine performance. He possesses a very versatile skill set, having shown the ability to excel in man-to-man coverage as well playing closer to the line of scrimmage as a box safety with his superior tackling ability. His height (6’4”) would certainly come in handy in jump ball situations and his speed should enable him to be a neutralizing force against some of the league’s faster tight ends. In a pinch, he could also play some snaps at corner against bigger wide receivers as well.
Melifonwu is the real deal and if it weren’t for LSU’s Jamal Adams and Ohio State’s Malik Hooker, he would likely be the first safety off the board. Unlike Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, Melifonwu projects to be a day one starter for whichever team drafts him. A true Swiss army knife, he possesses many key traits most teams seek. His penchant for being scheme averse is valuable for any NFL team due to the current trend of more NFL offenses spreading it out. Charles Woodson thrived in this sort of role during his career as a Packer, the “rover”. This is why the Packers should view Melifonwu as the best player available near the end of round one in the NFL draft.
While the “need” for a strong safety isn’t dire at the moment, it may be in 2018. Morgan Burnett’s contract expires after the 2017 season and where he falls into the pecking order will remain to be seen amongst the likes of Davante Adams, Corey Linsley and Lane Taylor. If Burnett were to depart Green Bay after the upcoming season, Melifonwu could seamlessly transition into his role.
Those reasons combined with Ted Thompson’s philosophy of drafting the “best player available” seems to make Obi Melifonwu a logical candidate for the Packer’s first round selection. The Packers secondary is in need of spark after their milquetoast effort in 2016. For a team that is in desperate need of more playmakers overall on the defensive side of the ball, Obi Melifonwu makes a ton of sense.
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