Ifeatu Melifonwu says transition to safety has been smoother than expected

Ifeatu Melifonwu has moved to safety heading into his second NFL season, and he says the transition has been smoother than he thought.

From getting work there during OTAs to a formal listing on the roster as the Detroit Lions started training camp, Ifeatu Melifonwu is now a safety entering his second NFL season.

Coming out of Syracuse ahead of the 2021 draft, teams apparently wondered if the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Melifonwu would be open to moving to safety in the NFL. He played cornerback for the Lions as a rookie, around a thigh injury that landed him on IR for a big chunk of games. But he showed enough promise to make it seem like he could stick in a Lions’ secondary that needs more talent.

Based on what he did in college, Melifonwu certainly seems to have the all-around skill set to be a safety. After practice this past Thursday, he talked about the transition to the new position.

Ifeatu Melifonwu having a smooth transition to safety

Via Pride of Detroit:

"I don’t think there (are) that many corners that can go to safety. It’s an easier transition to go from corner to safety than safety to corner but I feel like just my size and athletic ability helps and physicality,” “The transition has actually been smoother — maybe than I thought it would be,”"

Melifonwu also noted the mental aspect of the difference between corner and safety, which he’s working through as what he said is the biggest adjustment.

"At corner, you’re only seeing half the field and you’re kind of waiting on the safety to make the call to you, but at safety, you see the full field and you got to make the call. You gotta know when to come down, you gotta know when you’re back,"

The smooth transition bore fruit on the practice field, as Melifonwu made a nice interception during Thursday’s practice.

Versatility will obviously increase Melifonwu’s odds to make the Lions’ 53-man roster. It may boil down to how many defensive backs are kept, but cutting him would practically guarantee losing him as another team would surely take a chance on his potential.