Tennessee moved one step closer to landing a talented cornerback in the 2026 class on Friday.
Cornerback Nick Hankins Jr. released his Top 5 list on Friday morning with Tennessee landing a spot alongside Iowa, Ole Miss, Missouri, and Illinois.
Hankins is a strong prospect in the 2026 class as a four-star prospect, according to 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings. He also comes in as the No. 351 player in the class, the No. 27 cornerback in the cycle, and the No. 10 player from the state of Illinois.
Where’s home 👀 pic.twitter.com/7ayoF1XJey
— Nick Hankins Jr (@nickhankins113) May 23, 2025
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The 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect is about to embark on a three-team official visit tour, going to Missouri on May 30, Illinois on June 6, and Tennessee on June 13. Hankins previously visited Indiana for an official on May 2, but the Hoosiers didn’t make the cut for his top teams on Friday.
Hankins has taken a pair of recent trips to Knoxville, visiting for a spring football practice in mid-April and the UTEP game last November. He received an official offer from Tennessee on Jan. 8, setting up a massive run of offers from other teams. Despite cutting his list down to five, Hankins currently holds more than 25 offers from programs such as Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, Southern Cal, and Vanderbilt.
The four-star talent plays for Belleville West High School in Belleville, Illinois. Hankins’ versatility makes him a sought-after piece for any secondary, with the speed, size, and talent to be a productive player in the SEC.
Tennessee does not have a defensive back commit in its 2026 class yet, which currently consists of eight players after landing a commitment from four-star EDGE Zach Groves on Wednesday. Groves made for the third defensive prospect to commit to Tennessee in the 2026 cycle, alongside three-star EDGE CJ Edwards and three-star linebacker Braylon Outlaw. Other notable names from the Vols’ class include five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, and four-star wide receiver Tyreek King.
Tennessee’s 2026 class currently ranks No. 22 in the nation according to 247’s Team Rankings.
Here’s a look at some of the playmaking ability that Tennessee is looking to land with four-star 2026 cornerback Nick Hankins from Belleville West High School in Belleville, IL:
Class of 2026 CB Nick Hankins
