Noah Igbinoghene was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, he will want to use the 2023 season as a chance to prevent the narrative that he is a bust.
Drafted 30th overall, Igbinoghene is about to enter his fourth season in the NFL. So far, it has not worked out for the former Auburn cornerback.
Igbinoghene has started just five of the 32 games he has been involved in. He has just one interception to his name.
With just five passes defended in his first three years and the arrival of Jalen Ramsey this offseason, Igbinoghene is facing a make-or-break season in South Beach.
Taking His Chances
It is not going to be easy for Igbinoghene. Miami had injuries last season at the cornerback position. This allowed Kader Kohou to take his chance in the absence of Byron Jones.
Jones no longer plays for the team. Ramsey has come in to take his role. Espn.com currently has Igbinoghene as a third-string cornerback behind Ramsey, Xavien Howard, Kohou, and Keion Crossen.
His one and only career interception was an example of Igbinoghene taking his chances. With an injury-hit defense during a Sunday Night Football home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Igbinoghene had the game-defining moment as he picked off quarterback Kenny Pickett.
The reaction after the game shows what his teammates think of him, with one notable reaction from Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. He said: “I’m ecstatic. He’s resilient and keeps working no matter what. You see it on the field. He got his opportunity, and he took advantage of it.”
The NFL is a long season for players. With a long way back in the depth chart, when a chance does present itself, Igbo will need to take his chance when it comes.
Should Igbinoghene Have Been Taken So High?
You have to question why Igbinoghene was taken in the first round. After all, he spent much of his time in college as a wide receiver before being moved to cornerback.
With just one interception during his time in college as a cornerback, this should have set red flags about taking him in the first round. With 92 tackles and two kick return touchdowns, perhaps special teams were what the front office should have had in mind when drafting him.
Well, the thought draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had his doubts pre-draft. He said: “Igbinoghene from Auburn is a tough one because he’s got the athletic ability and the toughness that you love; he’s just really struggled to play the football and hasn’t made many plays.
“He’s got first-round athleticism, and he’s got late-round production. So, trying to sort him out is a tricky one.”
Does Igbinoghene Have A Future?
In a way, Igbinoghene has been a victim of his draft selection. Colin Cowherd regularly refers to the saying that where you land matters. This is the key here.
Looking at pre-draft analysis and college stats, Igbinoghene should never have been a first-round selection.
He should have been a third-rounder at best, and someone looked at in the special teams’ role. If this had happened, this article would not have been written, and Igbinoghene would not have been seen as a bust.
It is hard to see how Igbinoghene breaks into the starting role with the Dolphins, but he will hope that he is afforded an opportunity to impress, even if he goes on to have success with another team in 2024 and beyond.
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