Deion Hankins
6'0" 225lbs RB
RS Senior
Transfer UTEP
Formerly the starting running back at UTEP, Deion Hankins possesses incredible strength, rivaling any player on our team. He was squatting 660 lbs at UTEP before being advised by the strength coaches to stop, to prevent injury; it's likely he could squat over 700 lbs. Standing at 6'0" and weighing 225 lbs, he had 189 rushing attempts, accounting for 46% of all halfback attempts, for 813 yards and 5 touchdowns for 5.2 yards per attempt. What's most impressive to me is his ball security and reliability, with zero fumbles and no dropped passes out of the backfield. Although in the initial game against Jacksonville State, Hankins didn't exhibit the elusive qualities that I look for in a running back, his elusiveness, as measured by PFF, noticeably improved as the season progressed. Additionally, Barrick Nealy speaks highly of Deion's character and dedication both on and off the field.
At TXST, Deion faces the challenge of receiving fewer rushing attempts than he's accustomed to, especially early in the season. If the running back unit remains healthy, he may see a significant reduction in his playing time. Fortunately, TXST ranked in the top 15 nationally in rushing attempts, and ball security, Deion's strength, is a point of emphasis for GJ Kinne and staff this year. With Jahmyl Jeter graduating, Deion, alongside Lincoln Pare who is returning from an ACL injury and sophomore Trent Lacy, are the primary candidates to fill Jeter's shoes or ideally, expand upon that role. Furthermore, Ismail Mahdi, the leading rusher, carried the ball 223 times last season, a workload too large to sustain his health and performance throughout the entire season.
In the event of good health among the running backs, Hankins may receive at most 1/3 of the carries he did last year. However, these attempts are expected to be impactful, resulting mainly in critical first downs and touchdowns. The pivotal question remains whether Deion will accept this significant reduction in carries and embrace his role on the team? Failure to do so might lead to losing his limited role to Lincoln Pare or Trent Lacy. Nevertheless, injuries could alter this scenario entirely, potentially placing Deion back in a starting position with the majority of carries.
Top college football programs have a room full of talented running backs, the challenge for Hankins is to carve out a niche for himself. Considering how highly Barrick Nealy speaks to Deion's character and work ethic, I am confident that Deion will make a valuable contribution to the team. I rate him at 3.83 stars, as he should at least fill Jeter's role with the opportunity to expand it due to his reliability and the need to lighten Ismail Mahdi's workload. The challenge is Lincoln Pare, if healthy, could cut into that role.
Rating 3.83 Stars
Measurables: 4.25
Skill: 3.5 (He didn't run with the elusiveness or power I look for. Pare is a harder runner but coming off an ACL injury.)
Other: 3.75 (Jeter's graduation presents a role. Barrick vouches for him)
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