11-08-2025
Player to Watch: Davison Igbinosun provides experienced anchor to Buckeye secondary
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If cornerback Davison Igbinosun had left Ohio State after the 2024 season, his legacy with the Buckeyes would be a vital takeaway at Penn State last season and a whole lot of pass interference penalties — many of the unnecessary kind.
Igbinosun committed eight pass interference penalties during the 2024 season, plus another two that were called but declined because the receiver caught the pass. One of the latter came just one play prior to his vital interception at Penn State.
Igbinosun committed three pass interference penalties against Indiana, and two of those came on the same drive. All three of those infractions played a part in two Hoosiers touchdowns.
It's one thing for a cornerback to be aggressive. It's another to be reckless by making contact before the ball arrives when the coverage is already good. The Mississippi transfer conceded first downs on his pass interference penalties in six different games in 2024 — Western Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana (3), and Notre Dame.
That isn't to say the former prep star out of Union, N.J. isn't a talented player who can get the job done. His coverage is usually quite good. He led Ohio State in pass breakups (9) while contributing 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two interceptions. He would have had three interceptions but one against Tennessee was wiped out by a penalty on Kenyatta Jackson, Jr. for roughing the passer on the play.
A four-star product out of Union High School, Igbinosun had a stellar prep career. He was rated the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey by On3, No. 2 by Rival, and No. 4 by 247 Sports Composite. Igbinosun committed to Ole Miss in December of 2022 and appeared in 13 games as a true freshman, starting 10. His play earned him College Football News Freshman All-American honors after the 2022 season.
He entered the transfer portal after his freshman campaign and chose to transfer to Ohio State ahead of the 2023 season. As a sophomore, he was a solid corner in the OSU secondary, contributing 59 tackles, four tackles for loss, and five pass breakups.
Now entering his fourth season of college football, the senior figures to start opposite Jermaine Mathews, Jr., who steps into Denzel Burke's vacated position. There is not a lot of experience behind them, with Devin Sanchez, Inky Jones, Aaron Scott, Jr., and Jordyn Woods looking to get snaps.
If Igbinosun is going to become the latest in a long line of lockdown cornerbacks out of Ohio State, he simply needs to trust his coverage and be less hands-y when the ball is in the air. He can stay with opposing receivers, but there's a limit to what any referee will allow when the ball is about to arrive.
Igbinosun too often crosses that line. He's aggressive by nature.
It remains to be seen how Matt Patricia will differ from Jim Knowles in how he handles Igbinosun's aggression on the field. Minor adjustments to technique and more confidence in locating the ball or reading the receiver's eyes and hands could go a long way toward making Igbinosun a future first-round NFL draft pick.
At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, he's got decent size for a corner. He's physical enough to play on Sundays, and he's got speed.
The first step is elevating his game. A two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention, Igbinosun will need to let his play speak louder in 2025 to improve his draft stock. The upside is there. It's a matter of Igbinosun using the experience he's gained in his previous three years as a starter to make the leap from solid to elite.
