Ohio State senior defender’s admission on why he decided to return to Columbus could mean big things for the Buckeyes
Having him back is key for the defensive backfield and he has a big goal personally to attack this year.
Ohio State doesn’t have the luxury of returning a full slate of starters like it did last year, which helped fuel a national championship run.
The Buckeyes do bring back several key players, including Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs, and Sonny Styles. Another important returnee is senior cornerback Davison Igbinosun, who came back for one clear reason.
“I want to be a first-round draft pick,” Igbinosun said on Tuesday.
Igbinosun had an up-and-down season last year but showed flashes of being an NFL-caliber corner. No defensive player in the FBS had more penalties than his 16. Still, when he avoided grabbing receivers and played with sound technique, Igbinosun proved to be a physical and effective corner for the Buckeyes.
“The problem wasn’t me holding at the line — the problem was me getting my head around and just playing the football,” Igbinosun said of where he needs to improve.
Returning a boundary corner who has started 29 straight games is a major boost for Ohio State. Igbinosun started 10 games as a true freshman at Ole Miss before transferring, giving him valuable experience that will help this defense transition under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Even with Patricia’s wealth of NFL experience, it’s still a new system replacing Jim Knowles’.
If Igbinosun takes the next step toward becoming a first-round draft pick, it could mean great things for this Buckeyes defense. During his career, the senior has tallied 141 tackles, 19 pass breakups, and two interceptions — numbers that seem poised to rise if his growing confidence is any indication.
Ohio State opens its season on Aug. 30 at home against Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns.
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