The Miami Dolphins were very busy on the first night of the 2020 NFL Draft. After spending their first two picks of the night on the offensive side of the ball, they switched things over to defense and selected former Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with the 30th selection.
Igbinoghene is one of the better athletes of this cornerback class. He proved that at the combine by running a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash and jumping a 37-inch vertical. Igbinoghene’s athletic ability translates to his on-field play. On tape, he’s an excellent cover corner with a very high ceiling. It’s no surprise that Miami decided to use a first round selection on him.
His fluid hips and ability to turn-and-run with even the smoothest receivers allowed him to mirror his opponents routes at a high level. While Igbinoghene is a smooth cover man, he could play with a more physical mindset in the run game, and his ball production at Auburn wasn’t overly impressive.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Dolphins use him on special teams. Igbinoghene was an electric return man at Auburn, and has the speed and vision to make big plays in the return game.
Don’t look now, but the Dolphins have quietly put together an impressive secondary this off-season. Miami should be a good landing spot for Igbinoghene and a defensive-minded head coach like Brian Flores. Xavien Howard is one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL, and Miami also signed former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones to a massive contract in free agency. Playing alongside two of the best cornerbacks in the NFL should do wonders for Igbinoghene’s development.
Igbinoghene is joining a very talented secondary, and gets to play for a very good head coach. The fit here is promising.
