Football
- Title:
- Wide Receivers Coach
- Email:
- hankton.3@osu.edu
Cortez Hankton has been hired as Ohio State's new wide receivers coach, Ryan Day announced today. Hankton has spent the last 10 seasons at three different SEC programs, most recently as the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator at LSU.
"We're excited to welcome Cortez and his family to Ohio State," said Day. "His experience recruiting and developing some of the best wide receiver talent in the country speaks for itself. I think he is going to integrate into our program's culture and values, which are at the core of who we are, very well."
A native of New Orleans, Hankton coached the last four years at LSU where he started as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach and earned a promotion to co-offensive coordinator prior to the 2024 season.
In his four years at LSU, the Tigers have ranked among the top two in the SEC in passing offense twice (No. 1 in 2023; No. 2 in 2024). He also coached and developed some of the nation's top wide receivers, including Kyren Lacy, who led the SEC in touchdown receptions during the 2024 season, and Malik Nabers, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and a unanimous All-American.
Another one of Hankton's wide receivers from his 2023 LSU team was also a first round NFL Draft choice: Brian Thomas went No. 23 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nabers and Thomas combined to catch 157 passes for 2,746 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2023, making them the nation's top receiving tandem. Both were week one starters for their respective teams and went on to have 1,000-yard receiving seasons as rookies.
In his first two years as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach, Hankton's influence was pivotal in LSU's historic offensive success. The Tigers had two of the top three offenses in school history in terms of total yards and passing yards in 2022 and 2023. Each of those years, LSU's offense featured Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels, who led the nation in total offense (412.2) and accounted for 50 touchdowns as a senior in 2023.
The Tigers led the nation in scoring (45.5) and total offense (543.5) in 2023, while ranking No. 3 in passing yards per game (338.9). LSU scored 40 points or more nine times and topped the 500-yard mark nine times.
In addition to his on-field role, Hankton was heavily involved in recruiting and played a key role in LSU signing three consecutive Top 10 high school classes as well as the nation's No. 1 rated transfer portal class for the 2025 season.
Prior to joining the LSU staff, Hankton spent four years at Georgia (2018-21) where he was part of the Bulldogs' CFP National Championship win over Alabama. Georgia won three SEC Eastern Division titles, appeared in three New Year's Six Bowls as well as the CFP Playoffs during that span.
Hankton coached SEC All-Freshman wide receiver George Pickens, the MVP of the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl victory over Baylor. Additionally, he also coached Terry Godwin, Mecole Hardman and Riley Ridley who combined for 1,475 receiving yards in 2018. All three were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Hankton joined the Georgia staff after coaching wide receivers for three seasons at Vanderbilt, where he mentored veteran receivers C.J. Duncan and Trent Sherfield along with Caleb Scott and Kalija Lipscomb.
From 2012 through 2014, Hankton coached wide receivers at Dartmouth. He also had a three-month stint as a volunteer assistant at UCF.
Hankton received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Texas Southern in 2002, where he set season and career records for receiving yards. A four-year starter and two-year captain, he was Texas Southern's MVP and an All-SWAC honoree as a junior and senior. Hankton culminated his career by being named as a Division I-AA third-team all-America by the Associated Press. He was inducted into Texas Southern's Athletics Hall of Fame in January of 2025.
After his collegiate career, Hankton spent time in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-06), Minnesota Vikings (2007) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008). He also played three seasons (2009-11) in the United Football League.
Hankton and his wife, the former Shon Holder, were married in July of 2014. They are the parents of sons Cortez "Trip" III and Cruz.
