Upon nearing the end of the 2014 collegiate football season my favorite corner-back target for the Miami Dolphins 2015 first round draft pick was Ifo Ekpre-Olomu of Oregon. In residing on the West Coast from 1975 through 1998 I've always been a fan of Oregon Ducks football as (like myself during my Pee-Wee through High School days as a CB/WR/RB). They were (for the most part) an extremely athletic smallish-type player team while also being very quick and/or fast though quite able (especially over the last decade) to compete with the big boyzz as I watched on a weekly basis for the last 40 years.
The Ducks were in the 2014 College National Championship and Ekpre-Olomu was a huge reason as to why. He was a consensus first team All-American standout for the 2013 & 2014 seasons. He was also a semifinalist for the (Ronnie) Lott (IMPACT Trophy), Chuck Bednarik (Best Defensive Player) as well as a top three finalist for the Jim Thorpe (Best Defensive Back) Awards in 2014. He had contributed over four years in forty consecutive games for the Ducks while starting every game of the previous three years going into that National Championship game.
During practice on the week leading up to the 2014 National Championship he blew his knee out which eliminated him from first round consideration in the 2015 draft to be held just 4 months later. He was a first round lock minus the injury, but even though he was likely to be an absentee NFL player in 2015. The Cleveland Browns drafted him in the seventh round if they didn't steal him, as most suggested that he was a good third round option (due to ability/upside) even with the injury . He did indeed miss 2015's entirety and come opening day of the 2016 season he will be 21 months removed from the injury while rehabbing the knee over that same time frame and at this moment he is nearing 100%.
The Browns have again changed Head Coaches this past off-season, and like most every other team that takes on a new leader. The new guy has no ties to what previously existed and would prefer his success to come via the players that he has chosen in order to claim full credit for the team that is being built. The Browns cut Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (5-9. 195) this past week and Miami was quick to jump on the free agent opportunity of landing a 22 year old 2015 first round prospect who when healthy is a lock at one of three Dolphin starting corner-back positions. Ifo has great athleticism, instincts, quickness, ball skills, intelligence, with strength versus the run game as well while coming to Miami as a waiver-wire barGAIN.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu # 14, WELCOME TO MIAMI !!
Thank You for an Open-Minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
