Ohio State extends lead as No. 1 recruiting class with Jordan Hancock commitment

Ohio State football fans have to be ecstatic to get Jordan Hancock’s commitment.

Ohio State football’s 2021 recruiting class just got even better by landing Jordan Hancock.

Hancock is a four-star cornerback from Suwanee, Georgia. At 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, the North Gwinnett High School standout is the No. 6 cornerback in the country, the No. 9 player from Georgia and the No. 77 player nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. He had originally been committed to the nearby Clemson Tigers, but Ohio State emerged as his clear favorite.

Hancock’s four-star commitment gives Ryan Day’s program 19 hard commits, including four of this cycle’s 31 five-star recruits. “I knew in my heart that’s where I wanted to go,” said Hancock to 247Sports. “My favorite things about Ohio State is the brotherhood & their rich tradition of great football.”

Will Jordan Hancock become a star in the Ohio State football secondary?

Even though the Buckeyes don’t claim DBU as emphatically as other programs do like the Florida Gators, the LSU Tigers, the Texas Longhorns or even the Washington Huskies, there are few programs that produce as much top-flight talent in the back-end of its defense as Ohio State. Columbus is a good bit away from suburban Atlanta, but Hancock is going to a great program.

The top defensive back taken in the 2020 NFL Draft was former Ohio State standout quarterback Jeff Okudah, who went No. 3 overall to the Detroit Lions. Okudah even tweeted at Hancock upon his commitment to play for The Ohio State University with, “if you make plays in The Shoe on Saturdays, you’ll be loved for life lil brotha!” How does that not make a rising senior smile?

The good news is Ohio State picked the right successor once Urban Meyer decided to retire for the second time. Day has in one year at Ohio State won a Big Ten Championship, made it to the College Football Playoff and came up seemingly one play short of playing for a national title. He’s made the Buckeyes infinitely more likable than they ever were under Meyer or Jim Tressel.

Though these sort of recruiting ranks constantly change, Ohio State has a tremendous opportunity to end up with the No. 1 class in this cycle. For many top recruits, Ohio State would be their No. 1 choice. The Buckeyes are of that pedigree to where they can retain the top spot because once you commit to Ohio State, you’re probably not changing your mind. Hancock is excited to join the team.

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