Former Raiders 2nd round pick Obi Melifonwu signs on with the Patriots

Another former Raiders draft pick has found a home elsewhere. Safety Obi Melifonwu has signed on with the New England Patriots according to his agent Sean Stellato.

Melifonwu was selected by the Raiders with the 56th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft. His career hasn’t gone so well since then.

Twice as a rookie, he was placed on injured reserve. He returned midseason of his rookie year and in his second game back was named the starter...at cornerback...against the Patriots...in Mexico City. That was an unmitigated disaster.

He was not prepared to play cornerback, especially not against Tom Brady and especially not at 7000 foot elevation. It was about as dumb a decision by the coaching staff as one can imagine.

But instead of moving him back to safety after that, he was relegated to special teams. Three games later, he was injured again and placed on season ending injured reserve. He never again suited up for a regular season game for the Raiders.

After being slow to return last offseason, drawing the ire of Jon Gruden, he eventually made it back, only to once again get injured and once again be placed in injured reserve. On October 23rd, he was waived from IR, which is usually a sign he believes he is healthy enough to resume playing. Now two weeks later, he has found a home in New England.