Cowboys 2021 Draft Debate: Cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu vs Elijah Molden

The Dallas Cowboys defense had multiple practice squad players getting major snaps in the defensive backfield last season, including Saivion Smith, Rashad Robinson, Steven Parker and Deante Burton. The team already needed depth before Chidobe Awuzie signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.

Whether in the draft or by signing a vet in free agency, or preferably both, Dallas still needs to go after cornerback in the remaining offseason. The current question for the Cowboys is which prospects should they target? This is a recurring series of debate on which of two prospects is the best fit for the Cowboys. This edition will feature Syracuse CB Ifeatu Melifonwu and Washington CB Elijah Molden and will feature former Cowboys Wire contributor Dalton Miller, now of 105.3 the Fan.

Molden stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 192 pounds. The Washington Huskies only played four games in 2020, but in that time Molden was able to be productive, totalling 26 tackles (including one for a loss), an interception and a pass deflection.

Melifonwu is a much bigger player, standing at 6-foot-2, and weighs in at 212 pounds. In 10 games he had 54 tackles (three for loss), a sack, an interception and six pass deflections.

So who fits better? Let the debate begin.

Dalton Miller: Melifonwu is the perfect sculpture of a Cover 3 CB

Melifonwu’s profile is exactly what defensive coordinators look for when they dream of running a heavy dose of the Cover 3 scheme. Outside of the near consensus top-4 of Patrick Surtain II, Jaycee Horn, Caleb Farley, and Greg Newsome II, Melifonwu should be the name circled by Will McClay. He has the size McClay covets. 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, with over 32-inch arms and an 80-inch wingspan. That type of size in a Cover 3 scheme makes it very difficult on quarterbacks to find room to get the ball up the sideline to the wide receivers. Melifonwu takes away those windows in his zone. He's not Richard Sherman, but his physical profile is reminiscent of the future Hall of Fame cornerback. Both defenders were let down in their pre-draft testing by their agility scores. However Melifonwu possesses an elite size and explosion grade along with a great speed score, according to his Relative Athletic Score (RAS).

That athleticism is clear on tape. His performance against North Carolina wide receiver Dyami Brown showed his explosion and long speed, as he had no issues carrying the hip of one of the better receivers in the nation all around the field. Even if he did not test like an agile giant, the hip fluidity he displayed on tape was outstanding for a player his size.

Mike Crum: Cowboys might need a philosophy change

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The answer to what makes a great corner is not an easy one to reach. It's known the Cowboys have preferred players over six-feet tall and in the 200 pound range with 32 inch arms or longer. Looking at the secondary now though, has that really been overly successful for them? Is it time to make a change from that philosophy? Why not skip who is taller and stronger for who can cover better? Molden might be the best zone coverage CB in the draft. From his nickel spot he uses his eyes to not only guide him to the correct positions, but he also baits opposing QBs into dangerous throws he can then make plays on. He has a level of instincts in zone that are rare and they help him look as quick as the more dynamic athletes because he anticipates the plays better than they do. Molden might be at another level in zone, but in man coverage he is also very good. If needed in press, he does well to disrupt routes, has the agility necessary to stay with WRs across the field and he competes all the way through the catch point. He is even better on tape in off-man coverage as he excels at reading the flow of the play, diagnosing it, and then attacking the WR to contest the pass attempts. Two-way go routes are a staple in the NFL now and Molden has the tools to cover them as well.

Miller: Melifonwu impacts coverage and more

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Melifonwu is an intelligent coverage defender who ran a lot of zone and zone match concepts at Syracuse. He plays assignment sound football, something the Cowboys sorely lacked as they attempted to deploy a more complex coverage scheme. He is the prototypical Cover-3 cornerback, but pass coverage is not the only thing Melifonwu brings. He’s endlessly physical against the run. Although he tested at 205 pounds, his playing weight hovered between 208 and 215 pounds. That showed up against the run and screen game, particularly during the Clemson game. The Tigers run a heavy amount of screens and outside runs, and Melifonwu bullied the Clemson receivers on his way to making tackles at the line of scrimmage. His biggest improvement from 2019 to 2020 was his impact on run defense. Whether it was being in the right gap, filling it, getting through traffic, tacking on contact, or wrapping up, Melifonwu was better in every aspect versus the run. This allowed his size and length to show on the field to make plays.

Crum: Size doesn’t matter for Molden

For most players, Molden’s size would be a concern in the run game, or just tackling in general, but that doesn't come across watching his tape. Molden is a willing tackler, whose effort usually leads him to end plays near the football. He routinely beats the wide receiver stock blocks, which is valuable in stopping the run and short passing game like jet sweeps, WR screens and similar plays which have become so prevalent in modern offenses. Molden has size and length issues that will show up occasionally, but his instincts are his best trait. He will use those to stay ahead of the play, find the right places to fill and that will allow him to make plays regardless of the defensive or offensive calls. Molden won’t be the physical run defender Melifonwu could be, he just doesn’t have that physical stature, but knowing where to be first, and getting to the play earlier could be more important to getting stops.

Miller’s conclusion

(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)

In a different world, one where the Cowboys had a pick later in the first round, Melifonwu would be in consideration. It’s unknown where his stock falls within the league, but If the Cowboys believe there is a better than 50/50 chance he is there at 44, it should open up their options in Round 1 to go with the best player available. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has found success with defensive backs later in drafts multiple times. He knows the frame he needs to mold a prospect into the Cover 3 CB prototypes he likes. Tall, lengthy, strong, athletic enough, and be good playing in his zones. Melifonwu check marks every box. If Cowboys take a non-CB first, the play could be for a Melifonwu type to mold in to a starting outside CB in Round 2. The same way the Cowboys did with Diggs last year. Diggs and Melifonwu would make an excellent Cover 3 CB pair for years to come.

Crum's Conclusion

Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Not many weakness in Molden’s game. While he projects ideally to the slot game in the NFL, he did take snaps on the outside and at safety for Washington. He was effective in the blitz game, and had production in basically all aspects on the field. In 2019 he finished with a stat line of 13 games played, 79 total tackles, including 5.5 for a loss, 4 intercepted passes, 12 pass deflections and 3 forced fumbles. No he isn’t what the Cowboys typically look for in a CB, but if he can effectively do the job better than the taller counterpart then make him the pick for once. Stop finding excuses for why not to draft great football players. This time the Cowboys can break the trend and forget two inches of height and ten pounds of weight. Just draft the best cover guy, plug him into the defense and watch him thrive.

Mike can be found on Twitter @cdpiglet and @ATBCowboysPod and Dalton Miller can be found on Twitter @daltonbmiller, on YouTube, writing at Pro Football Network and on Twitch at twitch.tv/daltonbmiller.

1

1