Davison Igbinosun holds the key to a depleted Chiefs secondary

This offseason, the Chiefs knew they had to make some changes. Following the worst season the Chiefs have had in over a decade, Kansas City is looking for a big offseason to get back to the playoffs in 2026. The team's biggest overhaul on the roster came in the secondary, where the team has now lost five starters from the 2025 roster.

Kansas City lost Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson to free agency, and with the trade of Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs' secondary was left hobbled. The Chiefs did sign Kader Kohou and Alohi Gilman to bolster their secondary, and with Nohl Williams' play in 2025, they have several pieces they can be confident in. But with the volume of departures, the Chiefs clearly are not done at DB and will rely on the draft to reload the secondary for 2026 and beyond.

Almost everyone in the NFL community is aware of the Chiefs' weaknesses in the secondary, and many draft analysts project the Chiefs will spend one of their top 40 picks on a DB. After trading away Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs hold two first-round picks and will pick again at 40, and in a strong DB class, it is easy to project the Chiefs will add a DB early in the draft.

But the Chiefs have other big needs, such as DL and WR, and they could potentially look to improve at right tackle as well. From L'Jarius Sneed to Jaylen Watson to Charvarius Ward, the Chiefs have seemingly been able to draft and develop late-round corners at an incredibly high rate. It would not be surprising if they did that again, and Ohio State corner Davison Igbinosun could be a perfect target.

Ohio State has been one of the best teams in the nation over the last three years, and its secondary has been one of the strongest units in football. This year, they will post several top prospects in the draft, including Caleb Downs and Lorenzo Styles, but one guy is flying way under the radar: Davison Igbinosun.

Over the last 2–3 seasons, Igbinosun (Iggy) has been one of the best boundary corners in the nation, but one issue has plagued him throughout his college career... penalties. He was the most penalized player in college football in 2024, with many of those flags coming on big plays that substantially impacted the game's outcome. Being grabby in coverage played a huge role in Igbinosun choosing to return to school for his senior season, with the hope of reducing flags and boosting his draft stock.

In his college career, Igbinosun has played for three different defensive coordinators (Pete Golding, Jim Knowles, and Matt Patricia) and has excelled for all three. Each guy ran wildly different schemes, but Igbinosun has proven he can adapt to any defense and consistently make his impact felt throughout the game.

The Chiefs love aggressive corners who can play in a variety of coverages because of Steve Spagnuolo's deep bag of blitz packages. Igbinosun brings that skill set, with a strong frame, plenty of length for man coverage, strong tackling, and good instincts that make him exceptional in zone coverage. It is rare to find a player who is as well-rounded in the draft, especially in rounds three or four, but that is very possible with Igbinosun.

The Chiefs' current outside corners going into 2026 are Kristian Fulton and 2025 third-round pick Nohl Williams. Fulton stepped up late in the season but struggled early last season, and Nohl Williams was one of the best rookie corners in the NFL when he was on the field. But there is limited depth behind them, and with Fulton being a free agent next offseason, the Chiefs will certainly be interested in adding a boundary corner in the draft.

Igbinosun is exactly what the Chiefs are looking for, and I think it is very possible that he steps in and becomes the team's top corner immediately. This year's corner class is strong, and with the Chiefs' ability to draft and develop cornerbacks, they will not have to force the issue in 2026. Igbinosun is the perfect guy for Kansas City to target on Day 2 (or even Day 3 if he is still on the board), who can come in and make an immediate impact upon arrival in Kansas City.