Ohio State Football: What You Need to Know About Buckeyes DT Johnathan Hankins

When you think of the Ohio State defense in recent seasons, the first name that usually comes up is John Simon, and for good reason.

Simon is a likely first-round draft pick with an amazing combination of motor and strength, as well as the versatility to play anywhere on the defensive line.

But the man who plays to his left is among the best defensive tackles in all of college football, Johnathan Hankins.

Hankins, like Simon, burst onto the scene as a true freshman, showing great quickness for a player of his size in the interior.

Unlike Simon, Hankins was not very highly ranked coming out of high school. He was an underrated 3-star prospect who committed to Ohio State just before national signing day in 2010.

He has proven to be a very disruptive player in the interior, taking on double teams in the middle of the 4-3 defensive line.

Hankins now has gotten the attention of the college football world, as he was just named to CollegeFootballNews.com's preseason All-American list.

He has also won the early respect of new coach Urban Meyer as he has shown great growth in the eyes of his new coach, even before spring practice.

Not too many people had heard of Hankins before the 2011 season started.

Now, like his linemate Simon, Hankins could find himself taken in the first round of next April's draft should he declare after the season.

Hankins will be a junior so he has the option to come back for his senior season, which he said he would prefer to do because of his desire to win a national championship while at Ohio State.

Obviously, Ohio State will not get to compete for any championship this season due to NCAA sanctions, which means Hankins could be leaning toward staying for his senior season.

Regardless of when he leaves, Hankins should continue to grow as one of the best defensive tackles Ohio State has had in a long time.

He is the definition of a sleeper prospect, coming from being only a 3-star prospect to a potential first-round talent.

That type of story is what makes Johnathan Hankins a potentially special player.

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