STRENGTHS
Ifeatu can play multiple positions in a team’s defensive backfield because of his size, athletic talent, high football IQ, and because he is a good and willing tackler. He has those long arms and legs that make it easy for him to trail and still make a play on the ball in coverage. He has good deep speed because of his long strides, which allows him to run with the smaller, faster receivers and not give up much separation. Ifeatu has good enough hands to make the interception and the size to fight for the ball in the air. He shows leadership skills through his play on the field and pride to take on the assignment of covering the best receiver on his opponents’ team. He has strong cover skills being able to flip his hips and change directions as well as any long-legged defensive back needs, to be effective in any type of coverage. Ifeatu has the tackling skills and willingness to shed blocks quickly against sweeps and screens to his side. He has the necessary high football IQ to anticipate and make plays behind the line of scrimmage and is quick to come up and support the run. Ifeatu is a complete defensive back and can intercept the ball as well as limit the run after the catch yardage.
CONCERNS
Ifeatu is not perfect…but he’s dam close. I guess if you want to nit-pick him into a lower round you can but, I prefer to look at the glass half full. There are too many positives to bother bringing up any negatives. Some teams and media experts will say, Ifeatu didn’t go up against enough of the top receivers or the competition level was not acceptable or he plays off the line or some other excuses. They are not necessarily wrong, those are legitimate concerns…for them, but not for me.
BOTTOM LINE 1.64
Ifeatu can play on the outside, or in the slot, or as a safety. In the slot he might not be able to shut down those little receivers catching the ball but, he will shut down the run after the catch that so many slot receivers feed on, to make plays. On the outside, because of his length, he can single coverage easily. Because Ifeatu is so smart, his size, athletic talent, high football IQ, and tackling ability, he can be used in mixed zone coverages or at the safety position. Oh, and by the way…if in your team’s division or conference there is a top pass-catching tight end, guess what Ifeatu can do…that’s right, he can impact in single coverage and is big enough to tackle and limit RAC’s, also. I have a rule, when you see the obvious, you draft the obvious, you don’t nit-pick the obvious because you are too scared to see the obvious.
