With patience and no panic, Rutgers football star Max Melton is proving he belongs in NFL

INDIANAPOLIS - Isiah Pacheco is already one of the angriest runners the NFL has ever seen.

Max Melton, his former Rutgers teammate, is not one to run from physicality, either.

In talking about the pride he takes in that part of his game as a cornerback, Melton beams about bringing an ill mindset on defense that requires being unafraid to be a fierce, tone-setting presence on "the Dark Side."

The diamond-studded "Mad Max" necklace hanging on Melton's chest embodies his way of life on the field.

But Melton could not help but laugh recalling that one time in practice during his freshman season in Piscataway when he sized up Pacheco after the star running back and current two-time Super Bowl champion for the Kansas City Chiefs caught a swing pass and turned up field ready to bury the opposition.

That's when Melton did something he rarely does - he backed down.

Of course, there's more to the story.

"It was a spring scrimmage and he caught a pass in the flat, but he didn't see me coming, though," Melton said during his interview session at the Scouting Combine on Thursday morning. "This was the only time I ever got to try to hit 'Pop' for real, but I let up and let him go. It's practice, it's your own player, you don't want to blow him up."

Then Melton smiled before offering a playful warning that goes for Pacheco and the rest of the NFL, too: "But I'll definitely look forward to facing him up in the league for sure."

Melton is on the precipice of becoming the next Rutgers defensive back to make a name for himself in the pros. His face lights up at the mention of the McCourty twins, Devin and Jason, Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon - all of whom have won Super Bowl rings - plus Christian Braswell and Christian Izien, who stood out as rookies with the Jaguars and Bucs this past season.

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"I feel like people have got to open their eyes more. Rutgers DBs in the league, I feel like we’re making our mark," said Melton, who offered effusive praise for Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. "We’re very smart, very disciplined, very athletic and we all get the job done. I meet with teams and they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re a Rutgers guy, you know football,’ and I’m like, sure enough, I do know football. The physical attributes mixed in with the mental preparation, mix that all together and you’re gonna have a good player."

At 6-foot and 193 pounds, Melton has shown tremendous versatility on the back end. He can man up on the boundary and his game is complete enough to slide into the slot and challenge for a starting role as the nickel as a rookie.

Melton put on a show in the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, and the Giants and Jets are among the teams who have met with the 21-year-old from South Jersey. He told NorthJersey.com that he plans on attending the Giants' local Pro Day in April, and that, in addition to Big Blue and the Jets, he has had visits with the Steelers, Buccaneers, Cowboys, 49ers and Bears, among others.

"Throw on the Ohio State tape and watch him compete his butt off. It didn’t feel like that moment was too big for him with the way he played," NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic said of Melton, who he believes has a chance to work his way into the Top 100 picks. "And obviously, he’s got family connections with his brother Bo [wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers], he knows what to expect. When you’re talking about a corner position, you want athletes and you want competitors. He checks both those boxes. ... Corner’s a sink or swim position when you put him out there, but if I know he’s an athlete and he’s gonna compete his butt off, I feel good about him swimming more than sinking."

At the Senior Bowl, Melton was timed as the fastest player in 1-on-1 drills, peaking at 20.9 miles per hour. The patience with which he defends the entire route tree is impressive, and situationally, there appears to be no panic in his game. He is sticky in coverage both in the slot and on the boundary.

An interesting part of his resume is Melton's excellence on special teams. He is an outstanding gunner and a disruptor on the punt team with four career blocks in his tenure with the Scarlet Knights.

Asked which players he models his game after, Melton mentioned two former Ohio State Buckeyes once coached by Schiano: Saints corner Marshon Lattimore and Browns corner Denzel Ward.

"You've got to be able to cover, and you've got to be able to hit," Melton said. "On defense, there's no fear. We like to say we play on the Dark Side and that's what it takes."

Like those Rutgers defensive backs before him, Melton is ready for his turn to shine.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Max Melton: Rutgers football star from NJ ready for NFL Combine 2024