“Who is WRU?” is a question as old as time itself — at least in the college football world. Ohio State? Miami? Alabama? Try the LSU Tigers. If the program didn’t have the edge prior to 2022, they’ve certainly had it since, thanks to one coach: Cortez Hankton.
Is LSU WRU? Coach Cortez Hankton has Bolstered the Program’s Argument
Much of the WRU discussion stems from the ability to produce NFL talent. Well, it’s safe to say Hankton won the latest class.
For the first time in NFL history, four different rookies recorded 1,000+ receiving yards: Las Vegas Raiders TE Browk Bowers, Los Angeles Chargers WR Ladd McConkey, Jacksonville Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr., and New York Giants WR Malik Nabers.
What do all of those WRs have in common? Hankton coached and/or recruited them during his time with the Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs. But they weren’t the only ones.
The Indianapolis Colts’ AD Mitchell (52nd overall) and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Jermaine Burton (80th) were also top-80 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Hankton’s success in the most recent draft class has brought his name to the surface, but when delving deeper, it’s clear he’s always been successful, even as a collegiate player himself.
Hankton was a four-year starter and two-time captain at Texas Southern, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). By the time the dust settled on his career, he set the program’s record for career (3,400) and single-season (1,270) receiving yards. But Hankton wasn’t done there.
He also holds the records for most consecutive games with a receiving touchdown (10) and the longest play from scrimmage (99-yard receiving TD). Although he went undrafted in the 2003 cycle, Hankton remained in the league until 2008 before playing three seasons in the United Football League.
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Yet, as successful as Hankton was as a player, he has been even more so as a coach. He got his start at Dartmouth, producing at least one All-Ivy League WR in three straight seasons.
That was enough for the Vanderbilts Commodores’ then-head coach Derek Mason to add Hankton to his staff. The Ivy League isn’t exactly the SEC, but no one told Hankton.
Across three seasons with the ‘Dores, he coached several productive WRs, including C.J. Duncan, Caleb Scott, and Kalija Lipscomb. Plus, he recruited one of the best TEs to play in Nashville: Jared Pinkney.
However, Trent Sherfield was the standout of the group, ending his collegiate career with 136 receptions, 1,869 yards, and nine TDs. Although he went undrafted, he has appeared in 111 career NFL games with five different franchises.
But that was only the beginning for Hankton. In 2018, he earned a spot on the Georgia Bulldogs’ staff — the rest was history. After only serving as the WRs coach in his debut campaign, Hankton added pass game coordinator to his résumé.
In four years in Athens, Hankton contributed to three SEC Eastern Division titles, appeared in three New Year’s Six Bowls, and won the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Here are just a few of the names he coached over that span: Mecole Hardman (Round 2, 2021), Riley Ridley (Round 4, 2021), Terry Godwin (Round 7, 2021), and George Pickens (Round 2, 2022).
All right, Tigers fans, it’s time for the real fun.
After winning the natty, Hankton sought his next opportunity, landing in the Bayou. Like all of his other stops, he hit the ground running. In his first year (2022), Hankton helped generate one of the most prolific offenses in school history, as the Tigers produced 6,344 total yards and 3,770 passing yards — both ranked as the second-highest at the time.
Nabers established himself as a legitimate vertical threat, leading the SEC with 72 receptions for 1,017 yards — just the 10th 1,000-yard receiving season in program history. Even Kayshon Boutte, who struggled with an ankle fracture his collegiate career, heard his name called in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Yet, Hankton’s influence on LSU’s receiving corps became undeniable in 2023, as Nabers (89-1,569-14) and Thomas Jr. (68-1,177-17) emerged as two of the most dynamic wideouts in college football. Their growth under Hankton’s guidance culminated in both players being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft — Nabers at No. 6 to the Giants and Thomas at No. 23 to the Jaguars.
It was only the second time in LSU history that two receivers were taken in the first round, underscoring Hankton’s ability to develop NFL-ready talent. By the time Nabers’ collegiate career ended, he had solidified his legacy as LSU’s all-time leader in receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003), adding another feather to Hankton’s already loaded cap.
Entering the 2024 season, Hankton shared with On3 how the “WRU” label has impacted the Tigers:
“The tradition is really rich when it comes to playing receiver at LSU. I mean, the history speaks for itself, and it’s ironic, just the duos that play together. You go back to Odell [Beckham Jr.] and Jarvis. Ja’Marr [Chase] and [Justin Jefferson]. And now, just more recently, Malik and BT.
“I mean, it motivates [the WRs] on a couple of different fronts. First, they get to see their brothers achieve things, and about to achieve something that is, you know, we’re talking about the 1%, and they also know that there’s a lot of production that walked out in a room, and this is their moment, this is their time to compete for the same opportunities.”
Of course, LSU went on to win “only” eight of 12 games with a Texas Bowl against the Baylor Bears around the corner. The passing attack, led by redshirt junior QB Garrett Nussmeier, took a step down from the Jayden Daniels era, but leading pass catcher Kyren Lacy (58-866-9) still checked in as the WR10 in our 2025 NFL Draft WR rankings.
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Plus, the unit’s 2025 outlook is off the charts. Not only is Nussmeier returning, but Hankton landed Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson, Kentucky’s Barion Brown, and Florida State’s Destyn Hill from the transfer portal. Yeah, that’s firepower.
It’s not as if he’s taken the high school recruiting off, either. The Tigers signed 2025 four-star WRs TaRon Francis and Phillip Wright, and 2026 four-star prospect Somourian Wingo recently announced his top 10 schools, which included LSU — and Hankton is a significant reason why.
“He’s a good guy; good, chill, laidback, and obviously a great coach,” Wingo told On3. “Every year [receivers] get sent to the league from there. [It’s the] real WRU.”
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