Hamilton is undersized by NFL defensive tackle standards, but that helps him stay flexible and quick for an interior lineman. While he’s not going to overwhelm blockers at the point of attack, he generally holds his own. His biggest hurdle is translating his initial quickness into consistent pass-rush production.
Height 6′ 3″
Weight 295
Class Sr.
Age —
Overview
Twitchy interior defender built with good lean mass who plays bigger than his measurables. Hamilton is first off the snap and first into contact with sudden hands and feet. He plays with excellent leverage and a solid anchor at the point. He lacks ideal mass and length for the NFL game but it shouldn’t sink him. He can play in gaps and has above-average range as a tackler down the line. Despite his foot quickness, Hamilton rushes with an unimaginative, down-the-middle approach that fails to consistently threaten the pocket. He’s a consistent run defender capable of disruption and playmaking who could outplay his grade if he improves as a pass rusher.
Strengths
- Lateral quickness to beat interior lineman to the spot.
- Snaps hands and hips into initial contact to stack the block.
- Good with hands and works quickly off block to tackle his gap.
- Able to dart around blocks and find the gap for disruption.
- Above-average pursuit range adds to his tackle totals.
- Foot quickness to succeed for gaming rush front.
Weaknesses
- Slightly undersized with shorter arms.
- Can be turned out of his gap by size and power.
- Slow to get rid of blocks once they sink in.
- Rushes the passer like he’s pushing a sled in front of him.
- Predictable rush path needs more edge-to-edge threat.
Analysis and data By Lance Zierlein – NFL.COM