Anthony Hankerson is a running back and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at Oregon State University after beginning at the University of Colorado. A native of Boynton Beach, Florida, Hankerson was a three-star recruit out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School who chose Colorado over a number of Power Five offers and appeared in 20 games over two seasons with the Buffaloes, totaling 593 rushing yards and four touchdowns before entering the transfer portal. He joined Oregon State for the 2024 season and immediately became the Beavers' featured back, posting 1,082 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 27 receptions in an outstanding junior campaign before returning for his senior year. In 2025 he led Oregon State with 1,090 rushing yards and nine touchdowns through 12 games, highlighted by a 204-yard, four-touchdown performance against Lafayette, completing his Oregon State career with 2,168 rushing yards and ranking among the program's all-time single-season leaders in touchdowns.
Measured at 5-foot-8 and approximately 200 to 206 pounds, Hankerson is a compact, powerful, and instinctive runner with a low center of gravity, quick burst between the tackles, and the explosiveness to break big plays in space, as demonstrated by an 83-yard touchdown run against Boise State in 2024. He also lettered in track and field in high school, recording a personal best of 10.9 seconds in the 100 meters, which reflects the underlying speed he brings to the position. His receiving production expanded over two seasons at Oregon State, and he proved durable as a featured back who could carry a heavy workload week to week. Limited by the overall quality of opposition he faced and questions about how his production translates from a rebuilding program context, Hankerson enters the 2026 draft process as a Day 3 candidate with the physical tools and productivity to compete for a roster spot as a tough, complementary back at the next level.
