Think back to the 2024 season. If you were watching the Buckeyes, you probably noticed the defense looked... different. It was fast. It was aggressive. Most importantly, it was flexible. While the headlines often went to the big-name pass rushers or the flashy outside corners, Jordan Hancock Ohio State fans will tell you, was the actual glue. He wasn’t just a "nickel" or a "corner." He was the chess piece that Jim Knowles used to frustrate every quarterback from Lincoln to Eugene.
He stayed. That’s the first thing you have to remember. In an era of early exits, Hancock chose to return for his senior season in 2024. It wasn't just a sentimental choice. He wanted a ring. He wanted to prove that his 2023 breakout wasn't a fluke. Honestly, he did more than just prove it; he redefined what a secondary player looks like in modern college football.
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Why Jordan Hancock Ohio State’s Scheme Needed Him
You can't talk about the 2024 National Championship without talking about the "Safety-Nickel" hybrid role Hancock perfected. He was a 6-foot-1, 195-pound Swiss Army knife. For a big chunk of the year, he lived in the slot. He was physical enough to blow up bubble screens and fast enough to stick with track-star receivers.
But then things got interesting.
After the regular-season loss to Oregon, the coaching staff realized they needed more ways to disguise their coverages. They started sliding Hancock back to deep safety. This allowed Caleb Downs to creep closer to the line of scrimmage where he could be a complete menace.
Hancock didn't blink. He basically said, "Whatever you need."
According to the tracking data from that year, he played over 400 snaps at nickel, but nearly 200 at free safety. That kind of range is rare. Most guys are either "in the box" or "over the top." Hancock was both. In the CFP semifinal against Texas, he racked up six tackles and a forced fumble. He was everywhere.
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The Stats That Don't Tell the Full Story
If you just look at a box score, you see 48 tackles and an interception in 2024. Solid? Sure. Elite? It doesn't look like it on paper. But you’ve got to look at the "hidden" stats.
- Passes Defended: He had 8 pass breakups as a senior.
- Forced Fumbles: Two huge ones that shifted momentum in tight games.
- The "Zero" Stat: How many times did you see him get beat over the top? Almost never.
His 93-yard pick-six against Rutgers in 2023 is still the highlight everyone posts on social media, but his senior year was about professional consistency. He was the guy making the third-down tackle in the flats to force a punt. He was the guy communicating the coverage shifts when the crowd was deafening.
From Columbus to Buffalo: The Next Chapter
By the time the 2025 NFL Draft rolled around, scouts were obsessed with his "position-less" tape. The Buffalo Bills eventually snatched him up in the fifth round (pick 170). Some people called it a "steal." They were right.
In Buffalo, he hasn't just been a bench warmer. As we head into early 2026, he’s already been thrust into a starting role due to injuries in the Bills' secondary. He’s playing safety now. It’s funny how that works—the same versatility he cultivated at Ohio State is exactly what’s keeping him on an NFL field today.
He’s currently sitting at 22 tackles in his pro career. It’s a start. But for the Buckeye faithful, his legacy is already set. He’s a national champion who sacrificed a higher personal draft stock to play whatever role the team needed.
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What You Can Learn From Hancock’s Journey
If you’re a young athlete or just a fan of the game, there’s a massive takeaway here. Specialization is overrated.
Hancock was a four-star corner out of Georgia. He could have insisted on staying on the outside. He could have complained when they moved him to the slot or asked him to play deep safety. He didn’t. He leaned into the complexity.
Actionable Insights for Following His Pro Career:
- Watch the "Star" Role: In the NFL, "Star" or "Big Nickel" players are becoming the most valuable assets on defense. Keep an eye on how Buffalo uses him against tight ends.
- Special Teams Value: He proved at OSU that he’s a "willing tackler." This is why he’s active on Sundays while other fifth-rounders are on the practice squad.
- Injury Resilience: Remember, he missed a huge chunk of 2022 with a leg injury. His path wasn't a straight line. It was a grind.
The story of Jordan Hancock Ohio State is one of those rare "win-win" scenarios. The school got a championship-level defender, and the player got a pro-ready skill set that most rookies spend years trying to develop. He’s a guy who didn't just play for the name on the back of the jersey—he played for the one on the front, and the NFL is rewarding him for it.