Talk trash, back it up: The rinse, repeat cycle of Davison Igbinosun at Ohio State practice

Ohio State junior cornerback Davison Igbinosun broke up a fade in the end zone from quarterback Will Howard last Thursday during the seventh practice of training camp. The pass was intended for Buckeyes true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith. Igbinosun stole the spotlight from the first-year wideout, at least for a moment.

“When he deflected the ball, he said, ‘I’m here,'” Smith recounted the next day. “I said, ‘OK, I’m gonna be back.'”

Later in practice, Smith made good on his word. He brought in a downfield Howard throw, securing an over-the-shoulder, sideline catch with Igbinosun in coverage. The normally quiet Smith had only one thing to say to his teammate.

“I said, ‘I told you I’m coming back, right?'” Smith recalled.

That’s the good-natured back-and-forth between the Ohio State receivers and defensive backs that’s fueling the “iron sharpens iron” mantra in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center right now.

Igbinosun, or “IGB” as he’s known at Ohio State, is at the heart of it.

“That’s my mindset,” Igbinosun said. “Like in practice, every day, I want those boys to give me everything that they have. So on them Saturdays, it’s gonna be easy for me, and I’ll be prepared.”

Now in his second season with the Buckeyes, Igbinosun is approaching a pivotal point in his career. After this year, he’ll be draft eligible. He’s already got 23 career starts under his belt between his 2023 campaign at Ohio State and his 2022 season at Ole Miss.

With an impressive Year 3, the Union, New Jersey, native could make the jump to the pros. He’ll certainly be under the microscope this fall. Not only will a lot of eyes be on the Buckeyes, but also fellow cornerback Denzel Burke is hoping to finish his senior year as the top cornerback in the 2025 draft class.

At his best, Burke is a shutdown corner. If teams aren’t throwing at Burke, they’re taking shots at Igbinosun. In fact, Igbinosun was targeted 71 times last season, according to Pro Football Focus. No other Ohio State defensive player was targeted more than 48 times in 2023, per PFF.

And only three other Big Ten cornerbacks were targeted more than Igbinosun last season: Iowa’s Sebastian Castro (72 targets), Rutgers’ Robert Longerbeam (77 targets) and Illinois’ Xavier Scott (91 targets). All three of them posted higher reception percentages allowed than Igbinosun. In fact, of the six corners in the league who were targeted 65-plus times last year, Igbinosun recorded the lowest reception percentage allowed (50.7%, or 36 catches on 71 targets), according to PFF.

While he allowed a team-high five touchdown passes and committed a defense-high six penalties, per PFF, he more than held his own on the outside last year. Using length and physicality that comes with his 6-foot-2 frame, Igbinosun made his presence known, establishing himself as one of the best run defending corners in the Big Ten.

The intensity he brings to games shows up in practice, too.

“You gonna feel 1 out there,” Buckeyes sophomore wideout Carnell Tate said, referencing Igbinosun’s jersey number. “You gonna hear him, and you gonna feel him.”

Like Tate, Brandon Inniss played his high school ball in South Florida. Tate is a product of IMG Academy in Bradenton. Inniss starred at American Heritage.

Both of them played for the same 7-on-7 team, South Florida Express. But Tate is originally from Chicago, while Inniss — a Hollywood, Florida, native — claims South Florida. A trash talker in his own right, Inniss says the trade comes with the territory.

That’s why it carries weight when Inniss said Friday that, if you didn’t know where Igbinosun was from, you’d believe he’s a South Florida guy as well.

“Me and IGB probably have went at it every day so far in fall camp,” Inniss noted.

Igbinosun said he’s more comfortable in the defense his second time around with Jim Knowles as his coordinator. He’s also more confident, both in himself and everyone around him.

That confidence is hard to miss on the practice fields. If you don’t see it, you’ll hear it.

“Me talking trash forces me to bring it every single day because I have to back it up,” Igbinosun said.