High-risk, high-reward CB Noah Igbinoghene could fit with the Kansas City Chiefs
Noah Igbinoghene - CB, Auburn
By the numbers:
5’10”, 198 pounds. 31-¾” arms. 4.48 40-yard dash. 37-inch vertical jump.
42 tackles, seven passes defended in 2019.
Positives:
Auburn’s Noah Igbinoghene is far from a finished product as a cornerback. While that can be a red flag for teams in desperate need of help at the position, those willing to wait will drop their jaws at his potential. A converted wide receiver, he didn’t become a full-time corner until 2018. His instincts as a wideout still show up when he plays, as he tries to read the quarterback to the best of his ability. Auburn also utilized him as a return man in college, which is always a plus to have on a resume.
Athletically, Igbinoghene is great. He isn’t the tallest cornerback on the field, but with tremendous speed, fluid hips and off-the-charts leaping ability, he more than makes up for it. His build is stocky, allowing him to make opposing receivers uncomfortable at the line of scrimmage and throughout their route stems. He has the aggression and physicality to thrive at the next level.
Negatives:
While Igbinoghene has an extremely high ceiling as a prospect, he simply isn’t ready to be a reliable full-time contributor. His mental processing should improve over time, but at this point, it could use quite a bit of work. He relies too much on his athleticism and not enough on his ability to lock down his matchup.
At times, Igbinoghene looks lost. This is apparent on plays downfield, as he has his back turned to the ball and doesn’t bother to look for it more often than not. He got away with it in college but in the NFL, it may result in some pass interference calls. A lot of the concerns surrounding his game are far from certain to be ironed out.
How Igbinoghene fits with the Chiefs:
Adding Bashaud Breeland back into the fold makes the need for a starting cornerback less severe for the Kansas City Chiefs. This presents a low-pressure situation for Igbinoghene to enter as a rookie. There aren’t many better landing spots for a young corner in need of tutelage as he fully learns the position. He’d require some patience on behalf of the coaching staff, but if given a long leash, he could become special.
Final Thoughts:
Igbinoghene should go somewhere in the second round of the draft, though ESPN’s Mel Kiper had him going 31st in his latest mock. If Igbinoghene does drop into the second, he would be a perfect trade-back candidate for the Chiefs. He’s a project, but Igbinoghene already has an impressive combination of unique physical gifts and a solid mental makeup that should allow him to one day be a good starting cornerback with the right team.
