Ohio State Cornerback Davison Igbinosun Staying for Senior Year

By Andy Anders on January 24, 2025 at 7:45 pm
Davison Igbinosun
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Ohio State's secondary will return a second starter alongside Caleb Downs in 2025.

Cornerback Davison Igbinosun announced on Friday that he will return for his senior season with the Buckeyes.

Igbinosun finished his 2024 campaign with 45 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and nine pass breakups. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed just 32 catches on 60 targets for 368 yards and two touchdowns. That's just 6.1 yards per target; only seven passing offenses across the FBS averaged 6.1 yards or worse per pass attempt.

He's been projected as high as a late first-round draft pick by CBS and Sports Illustrated, though most experts had him coming off the board somewhere in rounds two through four in the 2025 NFL draft.

One clear area for Igbinosun to work on is penalties. He drew 16 flags in the 2024 season, making him the most penalized defender in college football. Still, his 6-2 frame, athleticism, physical coverage style and abilities in run support make him a massive retention for Ohio State entering 2025.

Fellow starting cornerbacks Jordan Hancock and Denzel Burke are both heading to the NFL draft after exhausting their eligibility, making Igbinosun the only returning starter at the position. Rising junior Jermaine Mathews Jr. will be the frontrunner to start opposite Igbinosun at outside cornerback, though rising sophomore Aaron Scott Jr. and incoming five-star freshman Devin Sanchez will also compete at the spot. Redshirt senior Lorenzo Styles Jr. and redshirt freshman Bryce West will be candidates alongside that bunch to take Hancock's place at nickel.

Igbinosun was the last player Ohio State was waiting for an answer from ahead of Friday’s NFL draft decision deadline. He and linebacker Sonny Styles both decided to stay at OSU for their senior seasons while Quinshon Judkins opted to enter the NFL draft.

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