Many Bills fans had their eyebrows raised after GM Brandon Beane traded up four spots in the second round to select CB Davison Igbinosun last Friday night. While some considered the pick a reach, the player himself was fine value for that point in the draft. The real story comes from the position that he plays.
After paying CB Christian Benford and investing their 2025 first round pick on CB Maxwell Hairston in the same offseason, spending a second rounder on the position just a year later could signal the direction the new defense under Jim Leonhard is heading, and the types of players he wants to fill it with.
In his press conference after night two of the draft, Brandon Beane said "If you look at our penciled in starters (Benford & Hairston), he [Igbinosun] has a different skill set" per Matthew Bove.
Beane also went on to explain that corner was a position hit with a plethora of injuries last year, and they wanted to ensure they had the best possible depth they could, so that problem would not come back and bite them again.
Despite being described as just a depth player to start, the selection, and use of other draft picks to trade up for him, clearly illustrate that Beane & co. have larger plans for the Ohio State product than to just be a rotational player. The versatility, quality of player, and contract of Christian Benford sets him up finely in the new defense, so what does this mean for Maxwell Hairston?
Maxwell Hairston may have been put on alert with Davison Igbinosun pick
Hairston was touted as a top prospect at Kentucky largely for his speed and ability in zone coverage. While he did possess some ability in man coverage, his knock coming out of school was that he would struggle physically in the NFL against big receivers.
In his rookie year, Hairston had what most would consider an up and down year. Hairston's talent is undeniable, flashing many times in pass coverage, but concerns about his smaller frame and durability rose as early as training camp, where he suffered an injury that ended up sidelining him for months.
New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has a history of preferring cornerbacks who prioritize man coverage schemes and who can press receivers at the line, two traits that Hairston is not exactly known for, while Igbinosun is. This preference of Leonhard's has proved to be true at his recent tenures with the Wisconsin Badgers and the Denver Broncos.
Igbinosun made a name for himself at Ohio State by being an aggressive, in your face defender, so the pick seems like it has Leonhard's fingerprints all over it.
NFL Network draft analyst Lance Zierlein describes Igbinosun as "an iron man with 53 career starts, fitting the mold of a press corner with good size and long arms." He has the experience, especially in big games. In addition, he fits exactly what Buffalo is looking to do on defense.
While Maxwell Hairston may be penciled in as the current CB2 next to Christian Benford, the draft selection of Davison Igbinosun can only be taken as a sign that unless Hairston makes significant changes to his game and playstyle, there may be a new CB2 waiting in the wings of the Buffalo Bills' secondary.
Add us as a preferred source on Google