Following Ohio State’s 2024-25 national championship-winning season, cornerback Davison Igbinosun returned to Ohio State for his senior campaign with a clear goal to shed the reputation he developed over the course of the year.
That season, Igbinosun was flagged 16 times — the most among FBS cornerbacks — with the majority coming on pass interference (12) or holding calls in coverage (three).
The reputation of being a regularly-penalized cornerback ultimately led Igbinosun to return for his final season.
Now, as he prepares for the NFL Draft and reflects on his performance at Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, Igbinosun said he felt he needed to change narrative surrounding his style of play during his senior season and throughout the draft process.
“I think just my junior year having all those penalties definitely hurt my style,” Igbinosun said. “It almost forced me to come back to school. I came back to school with the (goal) of changing the narrative to show them that I’m not that guy.”
However, rather than overhauling his game entirely, Igbinosun said the adjustments came in the finer details, particularly with getting his head turned at the top of the route.
“I didn’t change my technique at the line of scrimmage,” Igbinosun said. “It was just at the point of attack, the top of the route, just getting my head around and playing the ball. You get a lot more leeway playing the football.”
Igbinosun’s improvement was glaring in 2025, as the senior cleaned up his penalty problems, while ranking tied for sixth on Ohio State with 53 tackles to go along with eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
Ohio State cornerbacks coach Tim Walton said Igbinosun’s willingness to accept coaching and make adjustments has been one of the biggest drivers behind his growth.
“He’s coachable and the most competitive guy I’ve been around,” Walton said. “He’s got that grit, that competitiveness, that toughness and then he’s coachable. He addressed the minor issues, which helped his stock rise. He’s got the length, the size and the competitive nature. His upside is still in front of him, so he’s gonna have a long career. I’m looking forward to it on the field.”
That emphasis on discipline at the catch point became a focal point under Walton, who Igbinosun said helped channel his aggressiveness and physical style of play more effectively.
“First and foremost with the penalty situation, (Walton) said to be poised at the top of the route, play the football and don’t be so focused on your man,” Igbinosun said.
Igbinsoun has since impressed in the offseason with workouts at the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine and Ohio State’s Pro Day.
At the NFL Combine, Igbinosun measured in at 6-2 and 189 pounds and ran the second fastest 40-yard dash of any Buckeye, running the drill in 4.45 seconds. He also posted a 34-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump.
Igbinosun then followed that up with a strong performance at the Buckeyes’ Pro Day on Wednesday with a 4.36-second 20-yard shuttle run and a solid overall showing in defensive back drills.
With a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine and now Pro Day, Igbinosun has steadily improved his draft outlook. Walton said NFL top-30 interviews, one of the final steps of the NFL Draft evaluation process, could further solidify his rise.
When asked about Igbinosun’s potential to jump into the first round of the draft, Walton said the cornerback is firmly in the conversation.
“He is getting close now, he has some NFL 30 visits to do when they go in and talk to him. This season helped him, he did great at the Senior Bowl, the combine, the stuff here today, all this stuff is positive,” Walton said. “When they get him in the meeting room and find out how smart he is. His football IQ is really good. Then he has some things that people forget about. He’s been a three-year starter here, and he’s never missed a practice or a game. So he’s very durable.”
Igbinosun said his focus throughout the pre-draft process has been on reinforcing those strengths while continuing to reshape the narrative around his game.
Igbinsosun said he’s each opportunity from the Combine to Pro Day to showcase himself as a complete cornerback, aiming to prove he can make an immediate impact in the NFL.
“That’s why I came to Ohio State,” Igbinosun said. “I didn’t want to just get an opportunity to be in the league. When I get to the NFL, I want to bring value on day one.”
