Matt Hankins Scouting Report/ Matt Hankins NFL Draft Profile

 

Cornerback, Iowa Hawkeyes, # 8

Matt Hankins Measurements

6′ 0″ / 185 lbs

40 Time: Estimated 4.5-4.55 range

 

Matt Hankins NFL Draft Player Profile

Matt Hankins is a former three star recruit out of Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas. During his time at Marcus, he was a three-year varsity letterman and even led his team to the Texas state playoffs.

According to hawkeyesports.com, he had a very effective career at Marcus High School. His sophomore year he recorded a total of 24 tackles (20 of which were solo) and he broke up a total of nine passes.

 

Iowa CB Matt Hankins

Iowa CB Matt Hankins

His junior season was his most efficient season at Marcus. He racked up a total of 34 solo tackles. You read that correct, 34 solo tackles while assisting in 18 tackles and had 2 interceptions on the season as well. After this season, he really started to get recognition from college coaches all over the nation.

Finally, his senior season he had a total of 27 solo tackles, 6 assisted tackles and 6 pass breakups. Also, after his career at Marcus he was selected to play in the All-America Bowl. Following his great high school career, he took his talents to Iowa to join the Hawkeyes.

Even though Hankins was a player on many scouts watchlists for the 2021 NFL Draft, he chose to return for another year. Hankins used his extra year of eligibility from the covid season and has helped lead Iowa to a 6-1 record as of the time of this writing. He enters week 9 as the highest rated corner in the BIG TEN according to PFF. I feel compelled to mention his teammate Riley Moss is a close second.

 

Matt Hankins Strengths

 

Presence in the Run Game

Being an Iowa fan myself, I have watched a lot of film on Matt Hankins. One thing that sets him apart from the crowd is the ability to get involved in the run game. He can be lined up on the outside and the second he sees that it is a run play, he heads right for the running back. I know this may sound like common sense to do, but believe me when I say Hankins is different. Many times, we see corners run for the running back and don’t get near the play by the time it ends. Hankins on the other hand is always in sight just in case. Call me biased, but if I was an NFL GM I would take a strong look at this.

 

Play Recognition

There are many things that go into having good play recognition as a corner. The biggest thing is being able to read what play the offense is going to run. If a corner can recognize where the receiver is going, he will have an easier time guarding them. Another key is being able to read the quarterback’s eyes while in coverage. Being able to decipher when and where the quarterback is going to throw the ball is key. Along with that if you are in zone coverage, you have to watch the quarterback’s eyes. If you can get a good jump on the ball right when he throws it, you may be able to get an interception. Matt Hankins checks all the boxes mentioned.

 

Positioning

Iowa CB Matt Hankins

Iowa CB Matt Hankins

When Iowa faced off against Iowa St. this season, Hankins kept positioning himself in the perfect spot. His stats in this game did not disappoint, walking out of the stadium with two interceptions against Brock Purdy. As many cornerbacks around the nation will tell you, getting an interception against Purdy is impressive in itself. With his first interception in the game, he was in press coverage against a receiver running a post route. Right when the ball was snapped, Hankins was left in the dust, but he made up some ground quickly. Once Hankins realized the ball was coming his way, he jumped in front of the receiver and caught the ball.

 

Athleticism

Whenever I watch Iowa games, I can’t help but realize how athletic their entire defense is. For some reason though, whenever I watch them, Hankins stands out more than the rest of the crowd. He won’t run the fastest 40 time at the combine, but he is deceptively athletic. Hankins is a corner I would put up against any wide receiver in the country. He won’t necessarily win every matchup, but I know for sure he is going to give 100%. In Iowa’s game against Iowa St. I kept getting blown away by his athleticism. In this game he was making plays on the ball that I didn’t even think were possible.

 

Physicality

Hankins is one of the more physical corners in the nation. When playing tight coverage on a receiver, he does not let them get by him easily. When watching the 2019 Holiday Bowl against USC, he was bullying Amon-Ra St. Brown and the other receivers all game. He would force them off their routes and make them get creative to shake him off. This is exactly what you want in a corner in the NFL. If a corner just uses their size or speed alone, they will get abused at the next level. Meanwhile if a corner uses a blend of speed and strength, they will be a nightmare for receivers. This kind of “nightmare” is exactly what I think Hankins can be in the NFL.

 

Matt Hankins Weaknesses

 

Press Coverage

Although I mentioned that he is a very athletic corner, he does have a tendency to get beaten in press coverage. One additional thing I should note is that Hankins was rarely ever lined up in press coverage. This is arguably a bigger weakness than getting beaten in press coverage, because he is not very familiar with it. In the NFL, the opposing team will abuse you if they know you are not comfortable in a certain coverage.

 

Hip Rotation

When the ball is snapped, Hankins has a tendency to immediately flip his hips inside. This is not something that is seen a lot in college football. Usually, the corner will keep his hips level and will flip them to whatever side he needs to run to. This is another thing that can get abused at the next level. If I was an offensive coordinator going up against Hankins, I would use that to my advantage all day. I would have the receiver who is lined up opposite of him run corner routes all day.

 

Matt Hankins Draft Stock

Throughout the 2021 season, Matt Hankins’ draft stock has risen drastically. Going into this year, I would have graded him as a 5th round draft pick at the earliest. After doing some re-evaluation, I would comfortably take Hankins in the 3rd round. If he continues to play the way he is, and he performs well at the NFL Combine, he may even slide into the late 2nd round. This NFL draft class is loaded at the CB position, so it could come down to scheme fit more than anything else.

 

Final Thoughts on Matt Hankins NFL Draft Profile

Hankins is a very good NFL prospect; his raw athleticism is something that you cannot coach. Hankins should work on fine tuning his craft the first few years in the NFL. This will allow him to be an unstoppable force when he moves his way up the depth chart. If I were Hankins, I would primarily focus on gaining experience in press coverage as I noted earlier. One of our other analysts has been mentiuoning him a lot this year ever since he made the Week 2 Rising Stock.

 

Iowa Hawkeyes apparel ad
As FansEdge affiliates we receive compensation for any purchase made through our site.

Matt Hankins NFL Comparison: Hankins reminds me of one of his former teammates, Michael Ojemudia. Although Hankins is slightly smaller, they both have a similar play style.

Matt Hankins Scouting Report by Matthew Lewis