Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins declares for NFL Draft

All-Big-Ten defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins is a projected first-round pick in April's NFL Draft.

By Chris Huston

Dec 10, 2012 at 3:32 pm ET • 1 min read

Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins will leave the Buckeyes and enter the NFL Draft. (US Presswire)

All-Big-Ten defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins of Ohio State announced Monday that he has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2013 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-3, 322-pounder was the anchor of the Buckeye defensive line the last couple of years. He had 55 tackles in 2012, including four for loss and a sack as Ohio State went undefeated.

He is regarded by some analysts as a likely first-round pick.

The exit by Hankins isn't a surprise, but it assures that the Buckeyes will lose all four of their defensive line starters heading into 2013. Rebuilding the unit will be high on the priority list for Urban Meyer in the spring.

Rising sophomore Adolphus Washington is the likely replacement for Hankins. He showed some promise this last fall, collecting three sacks and forcing a fumble in limited time as a reserve.