The Apprenticeship of Igbinoghene
With so much focus on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and offensive tackle Austin Jackson, it's been almost easy to forget the Miami Dolphins had a third first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Of course, that's partly because Noah Igbinoghene got only limited playing time as a rookie, but that doesn't change the fact his coaches still have high hopes for him this season and beyond.
And make no mistake, Igbinoghene was drafted with the long term in mind, rather than the immediate future because it was clear he would need some time to develop.
The truth is, defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, that Igbinoghene still is far from being a finished product, though he's trending in the right direction.
“Noah was in a situation last year where he was able to really concentrate and develop," Alexander said Tuesday. "Again, this is a guy that hasn’t played the cornerback position for very long in his career, not just his pro career. He’s developed a lot just as far as his technique, his fundamental footwork, his transitioning and then not to mention developing in our defense and what we’re asking him to do.
"Now it’s time to take really the next step and also learning some stuff on the inside. Now getting a chance to know what the run game looks like and know what keys to look at and guard guys in the slot that are dealing with a little bit more space and having a little bit more presence in the middle of the field, or any help versus out there on the perimeter.
"We have a long way to go. I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat it like we don’t have a long way to go; but I think for him to be as good as I know and we know that he can be, we hope to continue to make strides where he can become what we think he can.”
As Alexander pointed out, Igbinoghene joined the Dolphins as the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft with limited experience as a cornerback after beginning his career at Auburn as a wide receiver.
That's why the Dolphins limited his work to the boundary last season.
And it wasn't a lot of work, either. Igbinoghene was thrown into action when Byron Jones sustained a hamstring injury very early in the Week 2 home game against Buffalo and then started the next two games.
Igbinoghene had his difficulties against the Bills, but then again he was matched up against Stefon Diggs, who would go on to have a Pro Bowl season. He also struggled against Seattle when he got caught peeking into the backfield on occasion.
He ended up playing 287 defensive snaps on the season, which amounted to 28 percent of the team total.
But even when he wasn't on the field, Igbinoghene made it a point to try to learn as much as possible, getting pointers whenever possible from Xavien Howard and Jones.
“All the time," said new cornerbacks coach Charles Burks, who was promoted this offseason after being a coaches' assistant the past two years. "All the time. As far as picking their brains, they wouldn’t let him sit in a meeting without making him pick their brains. That’s the type of guys and the type of leaders those guys are. Again, when you have a guy like Xavien Howard and Byron Jones sitting in your meeting room, if you’re a corner, you really have no choice but to develop, because those guys won’t let you be average.”
That, right there, is the key for Igbinoghene and the Dolphins.
Having spent a first-round pick on him, the Dolphins can't afford to have Igbinoghene not become more than average.
It's especially important because the Dolphins have so much money invested in both Jones and Howard that it's fair to wonder how long they can continue paying both of them big money.
And if the decision eventually is made to move on from either, that's when the Dolphins will need for someone to step up.
It might not be realistic to expect Igbinoghene to become that kind of cornerback overnight, but that's obviously the hope in the long run.
For now, what the Dolphins want to see is continued progress.
“I don’t necessarily deal in expectations as far as potential, but I think right now, Noah is giving himself a great chance in regards to how he’s being attentive in meetings and how he’s developing out there on the field and developing his body," Alexander said. "The expectations are going to be the work that he puts in. That’s what I expect. Based on what he’s doing so far, I know he’s chomping at the bit to get into competitive situations to see how far he’s come along the way, and only going to get better as we continue to work.
"Who knows? I think he has the potential to do a lot of special things as we’ve always thought about him and his skill set. It’s just a matter of putting the work in and having it apply on the field and being consistent in the performance.”
