Jordan Hancock has been a long-time contributor in Ohio State’s secondary. The Suwanee native is back in Atlanta for Monday’s national championship, looking at a potentially beautiful ending to his collegiate career.
“It feels great being back home, surreal,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “There’s no other place I’d rather be. I’m back at home. I played two high school games here. Obviously, a college game here. So it’s going to be awesome bringing it back home to my family and everybody.”
Hancock is in his fourth season with the program. He played seven games as a freshman in 2021 and made his first start in 2022. He’s been a mainstay on one of college football’s consistently excellent defenses. And while this is his second playoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — his Buckeyes unforgettably lost to Georgia 42-41 as Jan. 1, 2023 began — this is the closest he’s come to experiencing the sport’s pinnacle.
But before all this, he starred at North Gwinnett High School, where he won three region titles and a state championship. He was considered a top-five cornerback recruit in the country. He lauded his development in the state, saying it prepared him for high-level collegiate affairs.
“Georgia high school ball is way better — well, not way better, there’s definitely other states (with good football) — but I feel like Georgia ball is the best, for sure,” he said.
Hancock is one of two key Georgia-born Buckeyes. He says he helped play a role in getting safety Caleb Downs, a Hoschton native, to pick Ohio State when Downs transferred from Alabama after last season (Hancock is good friends with Downs’ older brother, Josh, who’s a receiver for the Indianapolis Colts).
The Buckeyes also have sophomore tight end Jelani Thurman of Fairburn. Ohio State had two Georgia natives transfer from the program: Quarterback Air Noland (College Park) is off to South Carolina while receiver Kojo Antwi (Suwanee) is headed to Colorado State.
Ohio State is vying for its ninth national championship Monday night. It would be the second consecutive title for a Big Ten program after an SEC team had won four straight championships.
