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Sometimes a prospect does so many things so well, but there’s one fatal flaw that really sinks the enthusiasm for the entire evaluation. That’s the early case with Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun and his game tape heading into the 2025 college season.
Caleb Downs first look
Igbinosun checks a lot of desirable boxes as an outside cornerback. He’s long at a listed 6-foot-2 and has some sturdiness to his 194-pound frame. The transfer from Ole Miss (after his first season) has shown excellent play/route recognition and quick reactions. While it doesn’t necessarily show on the field, Igbinosun has a documented 4.34 40-yard dash time. He’s got long arms and strong hands, and boy does he like to use them. And that’s where the trouble arises in Igbinosun as a prospect.
Despite having strong coverage instincts and enough athleticism to handle most college receivers, Igbinosun is a serial holder. An illegal contact penalty waiting to happen in the NFL. That’s not a foul in college, of course, but the grabbing and obvious holding are egregious enough that Igbinosun earned 16 penalties for the Buckeyes last season, the most in college football.
He holds even when there’s no need to grab on. Igbinosun will grab an off arm as a receiver goes up, or get his hand under a chest pad as he arrives just before the ball. The 16 penalties were not close to indicative of just how endemic Igbinosun is guilty; in games I watched against Penn State, Oregon, Nebraska, Notre Dame (2023), Texas and Indiana, I lost count at 45 the number of penalties that could have been thrown in Igbinosun’s coverage.
It taints an otherwise very impressive all-around player. Igbinosun is a good run defender who anticipates angles well and actively fights off blocks. He’s a bit of a diver at feet, but No. 1 is strong and patient enough that he can usually finish well. Igbinosun communicates well and is part of a well-oiled Buckeyes secondary machine that hands off coverages better than many NFL defenses. The change-of-direction skills are decent for a bigger corner, and his long-legged acceleration is surprisingly quick when he goes into chase mode.
So Igbinosun is definitely a player to watch in the upcoming college season. If he cleans up the penalties and can get his head around a little quicker on outside routes, Igbinosun’s size, skills and potential are going to be very appealing in the 2026 NFL Draft. Big “if” though…
#Ohio #State #Davison #Igbinosun
