Johnathan Hankins

Johnathan "Big Hank" Hankins (born March 29, 1992) is an American football defensive tackle for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Hankins played college football for Ohio State University as a junior, but decided to forgo his senior season of eligibility to enter the 2013 NFL Draft. The New York Giants chose him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Early years
Hankins was born in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He began his high school football career as a 255-pound offensive guard in his freshman year. For his sophomore year he transferred to Southeastern High School, where he started on the defensive line. Five-star prospect William Gholston transferred to Southeastern in 2008, creating the "best defense in Detroit", with Hankins shutting down the inside and Gholston patrolling on the edge.

Hankins was regarded as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, and was listed as the No. 20 prospect from Michigan in the class of 2010. He intended to accompany Gholston to Michigan State, but did not get any offer from the Spartans. Hankins eventually picked Ohio State over offers from Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.

College career
Hankins enrolled in Ohio State University, where he played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 2010 to 2012. As a true freshman, Hankins made the Buckeyes rotation and recorded 16 tackles (3 solo) plus a quarterback sack for the season. He weighed in as a freshman "at about 350, 355," and was regarded as only a two-down player by defensive coordinator Jim Heacock. By his sophomore year, Hankins managed to get his weight down to 330. He became a starter, registering 67 tackles (32 solo) and three sacks. Following his 2012 junior season, he was a first-team All-Big Ten Conference selection, and received first-team All-American honors from Scout.com.

2013 NFL Draft
Even though Hankins only entered his junior season in 2012, he was projected to leave Ohio State early. In preseason mock drafts from May 2012, Hankins was listed as a mid first-rounder for the 2013 NFL Draft. By mid-season, he had moved up to a top-10 spot. In December 2012, Hankins announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility, entering the 2013 NFL Draft. Hankins was selected in the 2nd round, 49th overall by the New York Giants in the 2013 NFL Draft.