After watching the television show The Fall Guy, Rankin originally intended on becoming a stunt man, until he realized the main character, a stunt man, was, in fact, played by an actor, Lee Majors.

[1] Rankin began his acting career with an appearance on the television show Unsolved Mysteries,[2] followed by a small role in the drama film The Apostle in 1997.

Starting in 2000, roles in various television series followed, notably Buffy the Vampire Slayer, NYPD Blue and Philly.

He also had other, longer-running appearances in Undeclared, Six Feet Under, State of Mind, Bionic Woman, and Friday Night Lights.

In 2000, Rankin moved to Los Angeles, where he met Jill Farley[citation needed] At the shooting of the pilot episode of Trauma, he proposed to her.