Ifeatu “Iffy” Melifonwu grew up in South Grafton dreaming of playing in the NFL.
The former Grafton High and Syracuse University standout achieved that goal last year as a rookie for the Detroit Lions. And on Sunday afternoon, he’ll find himself playing against the helmeted heroes he grew up rooting for when the Lions take on the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
“I’m excited,” Melifonwu, 23, said Friday afternoon after practice at the Lions’ training facility just outside Detroit. “It’s just crazy that I’m actually here (in the NFL), and I’ll be back home playing there.”
Playing in front of a group of family and friends that numbers close to 30, including his brother, Obi, an NFL free agent who currently resides in Foxborough and was a member of the Patriots in 2018 and ’19.
This will be the third time Melifonwu has been to Gillette Stadium.
His first time occurred 10 years ago when he watched the Patriots lose a preseason game to the Michael Vick-quarterbacked Philadelphia Eagles. Then, in 2016, the Grafton High senior was on the field rather than in the stands as the (former) Indians lost to Hanover in the Division 4 Super Bowl to finish 12-1.
“My memories of Gillette aren’t good for obvious reasons because we lost, but that season, I feel like it was a special season because we were undefeated up until that point,” said Melifonwu, who was honored as the T&G Hometeam Defensive Player of the Year. “I just had a lot of fun that year.”
It’ll also be a homecoming (of sorts) for receiver/returner Kalif Raymond as the sixth-year pro played his college ball at Holy Cross, from which he graduated in 2016.
The Lions drafted the 6-foot-3 210-pound Melifonwu in the third round (101st overall) in 2021 after an excellent collegiate career in which the shutdown cornerback was a two-year starter and three-year letterman at Syracuse, from which he graduated with a degree in economics.
Melifonwu’s promising rookie campaign was interrupted after two games by a strained quadriceps that landed him on injured reserve for 10 weeks. But he finished strong, starting the final three games while playing all but one defensive snap.
Melifonwu proved himself to be a playmaker as he had 15 tackles, 3 passes defensed and 2 fumble recoveries in seven games.
Then, following an excellent offseason training in Tampa, Florida, Melifonwu suffered a hamstring injury during the second week of training camp, in July.
“Yeah, it was just like you said, ‘Not again,’ ” Melifonwu recalled. “My focus was just doing everything that I needed to do to get back healthy as fast as I could.”
Inactive for the first three games, he made his 2022 debut in a 48-45 loss to Seattle last week, getting on the field for eight snaps on special teams.
“It just felt good to be back on the field,” Melifonwu said. “Obviously feels good to be active going into this game.”
Melifonwu could take the next step Sunday and return to the defensive backfield. If he does, it’ll likely be at free safety as the Lions have switched him to the position believing his size, versatility and physicality can be better utilized there.
So far, so good with the transition from the edge to the middle of the field.
“It’s going well,” Melifonwu said. “It’s a little different in that you have to communicate more, you have to see the whole field, be more of a leader, be more vocal. “Safety is more mentally (challenging) … it’s just a whole different perspective being back there rather than on one side of the field.”
While the Lions are, like the Patriots off to a 1-3 start — with their losses coming by 3, 4 and 3 points — Melifonwu believes the organization, which is flush with young talent, is headed in the right direction under coach Dan Campbell after missing the playoffs five straight seasons.
“I just feel like we need to get a few things cleaned up, just like coach says, and focus on some details, and we’ll be right there,” Melifonwu said.
—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.