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Ohio State football is still riding high after winning the National Championship with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame on Monday night, but the offseason is already in full swing for the Buckeyes. Players have started to announce their intentions for the offseason and beyond, with plenty of stars and starters leaving for the NFL after the big win.
It's not all bad news for Ohio State, however. On Friday, starting cornerback Davison Igbinosun announced that he will be coming back to Columbus next season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Igbinosun wasn't shy about his reason for returning to college for the 2025 season.
“I’m coming back to school to be a first-round draft pick,” Igbinosun said, per Thamel.
Igbinosun was one of the more talented players in the Big Ten over the past two seasons and has ben a starter ever since transferring from Ole Miss to Ohio State before the 2023 season. In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Igbinosun has recorded 104 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass breakups. This Ohio State football team already has to replace its other starting cornerback, Denzel Burke, so this is massive news for the Ohio State defense heading into a busy offseason.
Igbinosun joins linebacker Sonny Styles, who also announced his intentions to return to Ohio State on Friday. Between Igbinosun, Styles, and returning safety Caleb Downs, the Buckeyes should have one of the most talented defenses in college football again next season.
What does Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun have to improve on next season?
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Davison Igbinosun has a lot of valuable traits that NFL teams will covet in a cornerback prospect. However, there are still plenty of areas that he can improve in for Ohio State next season if he wants to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Igbinosun has a good frame at 6-foot-2 and has the length required to be disruptive in both man and zone coverage. He is also very experienced, which NFL teams will like. At the time he is entering the draft, Igbinosun will likely be at more than 50 career games played barring an injury next season.
Igbinosun's biggest strength may also be his biggest weakness. He is one of the most physical cornerbacks in college football, which helps him throw off the timing of routes and completely erase receivers from the play at times. If a wideout is unprepared for Igbinosun in press man coverage, it could be a long day for him.
However, that physical style of play also leads to a ton of penalties. Igbinosun was whistled for 16 flags in 16 games this season, which led all FBS defensive players. Some of those penalties came at crucial times to extend opposing drives, such as during Ohio State's win over Indiana in the regular season and its win over Notre Dame in the title game.
