Story by Heath Hambrick
At Geraldine High School, Jordon Lankford is a name sports fans will begin to hear more and more. Lankford is finishing up his freshman year of high school.
This spring he had another outstanding season on the baseball diamond. Last fall Lankford became a star for the Geraldine Bulldog football team. He is also a member of the basketball team.
On the football field this past season, Lankford rushed for 1,427 yards, 20 TDs, and had 4 catches for 58 yards and a TD as the Bulldogs went 9-3 in the second round of the state playoffs, where they fell to Mars Hill Bible 27-21. On the defensive side of the ball, he recorded 97 tackles, 12 being for loss. He had a sack and four interceptions – returning two of them for touchdowns -- five fumble recoveries, and one for a touchdown, He had two blocked points and he returned one of those for a touchdown.
Lankford had a standout year on the baseball diamond as an 8th grader in 2024, turning in stats you’d expect from a junior or senior. As an 8th grader, Lankford recorded a batting average of .536, an on-base percentage of .674 with 30 hits that included, 19 singles, five doubles, and six triples. He had 19 RBIs, 24 runs scored, was hit by a pitch 15 times, had 16 stolen bases, and didn’t strike out the entire season. He backed that up with an outstanding freshman season this spring recording a batting average of .539 and an on-base percentage of .673 with 41 hits that included 22 singles, eight doubles, ten triples, and one home run. He had 33 RBIs, 41 runs scored, was hit by a pitch 13 times, had 27 stolen bases, and only one strikeout. So, through two seasons on the diamond with 196 plate appearances, Jordan has only recorded one strikeout, as a switch hitter.
If you haven’t seen Lankford play in person you are missing out. For this freshman, you can see what is still yet to come. Lankford has all the makings of a big-time player in the feature. Not only is Lankford an outstanding athlete, but he is also a fine young man according to Geraldine Head Basketball Coach Jeremy Smith.
“Jordon is a fine young man. He gives us a spark on the court with his energetic, aggressive style. He is always wide open; he only has one gear,” Smith said. “Although basketball isn’t his strongest sport, he’s humbled enough to be a great teammate, to take coaching and to the team above himself.”
Lankford comes from an athletic family. His uncle Kevin was a three-sport athlete at North Jackson High School in Stevenson, his mother Tonya, ran track and competed in high-level cheerleading competitions in high school. Then there is his uncle Jajuan Lankford, who was Mr. Football in Tennessee for the South Pittsburg Pirates. Jajuan finished high school with 5,400 rushing yards and 83 touchdowns and a state championship. Jajuan went on to play football at East Tennessee State.
For me, being able to cover Jordan’s high school career is like a full-circle moment. I remember watching his uncles play in high school and I went to high school with Tonya at Scottsboro. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Jordan in the next three years, I think people from around the state will know his name soon if they don’t already.
