2017 NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders final grade

56

Obi Melifonwu

Safety, UConn

With their second round pick, the Raiders continued to bolster their secondary, but this time upgraded at safety. In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Raiders spent a first round pick on Karl Joseph, a hard-hitting safety from West Virginia. Their No. 56 overall pick was Obi Melifonwu of Connecticut, who some had a first round grade on prior to the draft.

Melifonwu is a physical specimen, as he is a rare blend of size and speed. The senior from UConn stands at 6-foot-4, but has the speed to put up a 4.40 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Raiders already have Pro Bowler Reggie Nelson and Joseph at the two safety positions, but Melifonwu should challenge for playing time. If he has a good camp, the Raiders could go with a three-man rotation at safety, which would definitely make the position a strength.

At 23-years old, Melifonwu is ready to come right in and start, and that should be the plan going in for the Raiders. He was a top-5 safety in this draft, and had the draft not been so strong at the position, he likely would have been picked in the first round. The pick by the Raiders was surprising for Melifonwu, who did not visit the team prior to the draft. Oakland must have seen value in him at No. 56, and could not pass him up with their second round pick.

This was a solid pick for the Raiders, who now have a plethora of good athletes at the safety position. They were beat deep on too many occasions in 2016, and the feeling around the organization has to be that those days are over.