Signed: Borderline Rivals100 CB Jordan Hancock

One of the more impressive recruiting wins for Ohio State in the 2021 cycle was Jordan Hancock.

The borderline Rivals100 cornerback had previously been committed to the Clemson Tigers for four months from March 11 to July 14. Throughout this entire timespan, however, Ryan Day and his staff continued to stay in touch with Hancock and his family.

Even though Clemson commits rarely leave their classes, Ohio State’s persistence ultimately paid off with Hancock’s decommitment and subsequent pledge to the Buckeyes. Alabama and Georgia had also been in the mix, but his heart was, and remains, in Columbus.

Hancock made it official with the Buckeyes today as he just faxed in his LOI to the program.

A month after his commitment to Ohio State, Hancock announced that he would be sitting out his senior season due to his mom’s breast cancer fight and his father’s current heart condition. Fortunately for Hancock, he was able to return to the field with his teammates at North Gwinnett High School in October, and saw his season come to an end on Dec. 4 in a close 16-17 loss in the playoffs.

Now, Hancock’s focus will be on getting himself ready for the next level. He told me that his school will not let him graduate early, so expect for him to enroll at Ohio State in Summer 2021.

"With Ohio State, it is just different. Since they offered me, they have truly been my No. 1 school,” Hancock told Chad Simmons when discussing his decision. “I love the school, the fans, the vision the staff has for me, the chance I have to play early and just the program Ohio State is. Making this decision is something I feel great about."

Watching his film above, you can tell Hancock is a very fluid player who can turn his hips quickly and break to the ball to get there before it reaches the intended target. He’s also very physical when barreling down on a wideout who is about to catch a pass, which usually results in pass deflections.

Hancock is also a turnover machine because of his exceptional athleticism, specifically his recovery speed. The seventh-ranked cornerback on Rivals does not get beat often, but when he does, he immediately catches up with his opponent to pick off a pass or break it up. Hancock can also jump high in the air, use his body control to catch the ball and come down with an interception.

Following up on that last sentence, I saw Hancock do just that during his matchup with Collins Hill in late October. It was not his best game as he was probably still a little rusty after missing the first part of the season, but Hancock did show off what made him such a coveted player in this cycle.

On top of recording the previously mentioned interception, Hancock showcased his recovery speed and aggressiveness. One play that stood out to me was when Hancock did not bite on a pump fake, kept up with five-star junior Travis Hunter the whole route and positioned himself to leave little space between Hunter and the sidelines.

Ohio State is certainly in need of reinforcements in the secondary, and Hancock arriving will be a great addition for the program.

Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.