Jordan Hanson has already achieved a lot in his college career.
Only a junior athletically, the 6-2, 280-pounder from Los Angeles, is a leader on the Nevada Wolf Pack defense. He’s a senior academically, on target to earn his undergraduate degree in Economics this year. But, there’s still a lot that he wants to accomplish on and off the field.
In 2012, Hanson had 40 tackles, two tackles for loss and recovered a fumble. All four defensive line starters return from last season for Nevada, but there’s only one other defensive starter back (safety Charles Garrett). In order for the Wolf Pack to improve, the defense has to step up. Last season, it ranked 95th nationally in total defense, 99th in scoring defense and 110th in rushing defense. Every opponent scored at least 24 points, with an average of 33.8 points per game.
“There’s a lot of pressure on our defensive line this season,” he said. “There’s a lot of youth on the back end of our defense, so we have to be the tip of the spear. We look forward to that; we have high expectations. All of us are back at the same positions, so we’re ready for the challenge.”
Hanson understands the challenge of playing against explosive Mountain West offenses.
“This has become a quarterback league,” he said. “On a daily basis, we have to practice against one of the best (quarterback Cody Fajardo), so that makes Saturdays a little less shocking. But, it is really challenging. You can’t overlook any team due to the capability of all of the quarterbacks. It really speaks volumes about the level of play in this league. It shows that the disparity between the Mountain West and other conferences is not as great as it might seem.”
The NFL is a goal for Hanson, but he has plans beyond his on-field days.
“My goal is to play in the NFL, but I plan to get as much done toward my MBA as possible before my senior year is over,” he said. “I will have my degree in Economics. It’s my plan to be a financial advisor, maybe in the sports field working with athletes.
“It amazes me when I see athletes spending their money on Laundromats or $2 million fish tanks. It’s hard to believe that people can be that careless. More guys need to understand that money doesn’t grow on trees. I want to help people in that way.”
In the meantime, there’s still a lot of help that he wants to give to the Wolf Pack defense on the playing field in Reno.