The Miami Dolphins announced today that they have signed safety Ifeatu Melifonwu as an unrestricted free agent.
Melifonwu (name is pronounced ee-FAH-too mel-uh-fawn-woo) has appeared in 37 career games with 14 starts in four seasons with Detroit (2021-24). He has recorded 68 tackles (51 solo), 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, 13 passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in his career. Melifonwu also started in four postseason games with Detroit in 2023 and 2024, recording 17 tackles (10 solo) and 2.0 sacks. He entered the NFL as third-round selection (101st overall) by Detroit in the 2021 NFL Draft. Melifonwu played collegiately at Syracuse (2017-20), where he appeared in 29 games with 19 starts in four seasons with the Orange and recorded 88 tackles (71 solo), 1.0 sack, three interceptions and 26 passes defensed.
| Name | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Age | Exp. | College | Hometown | Acq. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | S | 6-3 | 210 | 25 | 5 | Syracuse ‘21 | South Grafton, Mass. | UFA ‘25 |
