Tag: Dominique Hampton

A position change for one of the Commanders’ rookies?

Did a member of Washington’s rookie class change positions?

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated spent a day in Ashburn, Virginia, last week on his training camp tour, previewing the Washington Commanders.

While Breer’s eyes were on rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn, Breer had several other observations in his latest column for SI.

But one of his observations stood out more than most. Here’s what Breer said of sixth-round pick Dominique Hampton.

Fifth-rounder Dominique Hampton is adjusting nicely to linebacker, and undrafted free agent Tyler Owens, a long, rangy safety, looks like he’ll make the team, play on special teams, and have a future on defense.

Has Hampton switched positions from safety to linebacker?

In Quinn’s scheme, it’s common for one of the safeties to play in the box at times. That will be Jeremy Chinn’s role in 2024. But Breer called Hampton a linebacker. It’s no surprise he’s working with the linebackers, but if he’s officially changed positions, that could be a way for him and Tyler Owens to make Washington’s 53-man roster.

Hampton certainly has the size and athleticism, at 6 feet 3 inches and 220 pounds. Markquese Bell filled a similar role for the Cowboys under Quinn.

Quan Martin, Chinn, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Owens, Hampton and Darrick Forrest are all battling for what is likely five safety spots. If Hampton is a linebacker, that allows the Commanders to be more creative.

It will be interesting to see where Hampton lines up in this weekend’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.

Commanders sign 4 members of their rookie class

The Commanders signed four members of their rookie class.

The Washington Commanders opened their rookie minicamp on Friday and handled some business beforehand.

The Commanders drafted nine players in last month’s 2024 NFL draft and signed four of those rookies on Friday.

Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (third round), linebacker Jordan Magee (fifth round), safety Dominique Hampton (fifth round) and defensive Javontae Jean-Baptiste (seventh round) all signed their rookie four-year contracts.

McCaffrey, the No. 100 overall pick out of Rice, began his college career as a quarterback at Nebraska. He transferred to Rice where he played the last two seasons as a wide receiver. McCaffrey is the younger brother of 49ers star Christian McCaffrey.

Magee was a three-year starter for Temple and will learn under the legendary Bobby Wagner as a rookie.

Hampton, an intriguing size/speed prospect from Washington, looks like the perfect Dan Quinn developmental player. Jean-Baptiste, who played five years at Ohio State and his final year at Notre Dame, became a starter and developed into a draftable prospect with his length and athleticism.

The Commanders will now turn their attention to signing Jayden Daniels, Johnny Newton, Mike Sainristil, Ben Sinnott and Brandon Coleman.

Commanders select Washington safety Dominique Hampton at No. 161 overall

The Commanders add an intriguing safety prospect with size and speed at No. 161 overall.

With the No. 161 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Washington Commanders selected Washington safety Dominique Hampton.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Hampton played six years for the Huskies and became a starter late in the 2021 season. In 2023, Hampton was an honorable mention All-Pac 12 selection for the Huskies, where he led the team with 109 tackles and had two interceptions and seven pass breakups.

Hampton is an interesting size/speed pick who can contribute on special teams. At the NFL combine, Hampton ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds and had a 39″ vertical leap.

Here is NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Hampton:

Average game film has to be weighed against his traits and the potential of what he could do with pro coaching. Hampton is big, fast and long, and defensive coordinators can work with that. He’s more comfortable operating as a read-and-react high safety than in man coverage. He’s willing in run support, but erratic angles to the tackle and below-average body control can lead to poor positioning and excessive arm tackles. Hampton’s traits and potential could sway a team to take him on Day 3 and develop him into an average backup with core special teams value.

 

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 8, Washington S Dominique Hampton

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview is Washington safety Dominique Hampton.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

Brian Gutekunst has made it clear all offseason that he wants versatility in the secondary. He reiterated that point again on Monday during his pre-draft press conference. Gutekunst wants an interchangeable safety to pair with Xavier McKinney.

A player who fits that description in spades is Dominique Hampton. The Washington defensive back checks in at No. 8 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A three-star recruit out of Arizona, Hampton started his time in Seattle at cornerback, before making the switch to safety for the 2021 season. During his first season at his new position, Hampton started three games and recorded 30 tackles and two pass deflections. The following season Hampton recorded 42 tackles and four pass deflections.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

This past season Hampton led the Huskies in tackles (109) and picked off two passes and broke up seven more. 

“Dom was an integral part of the UW defense,” Roman Tomashoff, the managing editor for UWHuskiesWire.com said. “He led the team in tackles and was asked to do a lot of different things and was always reliable.”

Hampton, a former cornerback, can play on the boundary. He can play in the slot (776 snaps), he can play deep and he can play in the box as a sub-package linebacker. 

Aside from his versatility, Hampton’s greatest strength is his athleticism. A former track athlete, Hampton showcased his athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine. Hampton clocked a 4.51 40-yard dash. He posted a 39-inch vertical and a 10-09 broad jump. 

“His athleticism is his greatest strength,” Tomashoff said. “It has allowed him to play every position in the secondary, which in turn has increased his understanding of the back end of a defense and could allow coaches to utilize him in a variety of ways at the NFL level, even though he would still fit best at safety.”

Hampton is a long cornerback. At 6-2 with tree branches for arms, Hampton gives quarterbacks a tight window to throw into. He uses that length to play through the hands of pass catchers. Hampton has good field vision and has a quick trigger on throws in front of him. Hampton has composed footwork and is smooth in his transitions. He strikes with force when pass catchers enter his area code. 

“Spending some time at both outside corner and in the nickel has certainly been helpful,” Tomashoff said. “His length and strength at the line of scrimmage helps him throw timing off and minimize throwing windows.”

Hampton uses his length to get off blocks and is comfortable playing north to south. He has a good radar for the football and his length gives him a wide tackle radius. 

“Dom is very good in run support,” Tomashoff said. “His frame and physicality led to him being lined up in the box a lot and he was even asked to line up as an extra linebacker. He shoots gaps well and while he needs to improve on his angles at times, he has become an effective run defender.”

Hampton set the UW program record for games played and logged 557 snaps on special teams during that time and recorded nine tackles. Given his size, speed and strength, Hampton could carve out a role early as an impact special teams player. 

Fit with the Packers

The addition of McKinney drastically improves the state of the safety position at 1265 Lombardi Avenue. Even with the addition of McKinney, Gutekunst will likely look to add a safety or two in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Hampton checks the boxes with his versatility, length, athleticism and special teams experience.

“Dom is a great leader and with so much experience under his belt, he can step into a rotational role from day one in the NFL,” Tomashoff said. “His athleticism should help him stand out on special teams too, and with his knowledge of every position on the back end, coaches at the next level will have a lot of fun finding different ways to utilize him.”

The Packers own six Day 3 picks. Hampton could be a target with one of those picks as the Packers look to bolster their safety room. He

Jets trade up for Rome Odunze in 7-round mock from The Athletic

Jets trade up for Rome Odunze in 7-round mock from The Athletic

The Jets would love to come away with a Round 1 pass-catcher Thursday night and they may very well move up the board to get it.

That’s the scenario that plays out in the final seven-round mock for the Jets by Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. He has the Jets moving up three spots in a trade with the Tennessee Titans to land Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze and instantly make the Jets’ offense much more dynamic.

The Jets may very well get aggressive in getting one of the top pass-catchers in this draft, particularly Odunze, who would immediately form one of the best young wide-receiver duos with Garrett Wilson. In this scenario, the Jets trade pick No. 134 this year and a fourth-round pick next year to make the move and jump ahead of the Falcons and Bears to land the Washington stud.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

The Titans or Falcons feel like the teams to watch if the Jets are going to trade up to get one of the trio of stud wide receivers (Odunze, Marvin Harrison, Malik Nabers). I went with the Titans because I don’t think it can be ruled out that Atlanta might want to take a wide receiver after investing in Kirk Cousins. The Titans already have DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley and should still be able to get a top offensive tackle at No. 10.

As for the Jets: GM Joe Douglas has made it clear with all of his moves this offseason — and the structures of the contracts he has given out — that they are all-in on winning in 2024. So if the opportunity presents itself to go and get a wide receiver of this caliber (whether it’s Odunze, Nabers or Harrison), I don’t see why he wouldn’t pursue it. It shouldn’t take too much to move up a couple spots in the order and wide receiver is still a need, even after signing Mike Williams.

It would be interesting to know whether Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt was still on the board when this deal was made, but regardless, coming away with Odunze would be a home run on Day 1 of the draft for the Jets and all for the low price of two Day 3 picks.

The remaining picks for the Jets in this mock are as follows:

72. Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
111. Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
185. Dominique Hampton, S, Washington
256. Jowon Briggs, DL, Cincinnati
257. frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Mississippi

East-West Shrine Bowl Preview: Safeties to watch for Packers

Previewing the East-West Shrine Bowl by taking a closer look at four safeties the Packers could target in the 2024 draft.

The East-West Shrine Bowl practices start on Saturday with the game scheduled to take place on Thursday, Feb. 1 in Frisco, Texas. 

Zach Tom, Jon Runayn Jr, Samori Toure, Ka’Dar Hollman, James Looney and Hunter Bradley are all draft picks selected by Brian Gutekunst who competed at the Shrine Bowl. 

Let’s start the Shrine Bowl preview by taking a look at four safeties that the Green Bay Packers could be keeping close tabs on throughout the week in Frisco.

Kenny Logan Jr, Kansas

The Kansas safety flies all over the field for the Jayhawks. He has the range and ball skills to make plays on the ball in the backend and the quickness to fly downhill in run support. He led the Jayhawks in tackles in each of the past three seasons (254) but he also whiffed 56 times during that span as well. On top of everything he brings to the defense he has experience returning kicks and although limited (five) punts. 

Mark Perry, TCU

A Colorado transfer, Perry recorded 142 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and six pass deflections during his two seasons at TCU. Perry was a member of the track and field team during his time at Colorado and that athleticism shows on the field, showcasing good range and flying downhill to pop ball carriers. He brings an element of versatility to the secondary with the ability to play in the slot and deep. 

Dominique Hampton, Washington

Hampton is a player capable of wearing multiple hats in the secondary. He can line up in the slot, box or deep. At 6-3, 220 pounds, Hampton has outstanding length and size for the position. He finished the season with a team-leading 109 tackles to go along with two interceptions and seven pass deflections. 

Trey Taylor, Air Force

The Frisco native and Jim Thorpe Award winner will have a shot to boost his draft stock this week. Taylor started 36 games over the past three seasons and finished this past season with 74 tackles, five tackles for loss and three interceptions. It will be worth monitoring how the cousin of Ed Reed performs throughout the week. 

10 prospects to watch for Packers fans in CFB National Championship game

Here are 10 names for Green Bay Packers fans to watch tonight.

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is 108 days away and the National Championship matchup between the University of Washington and Michigan features five prospects that have a real shot of hearing their name called on April 25th. 

Rome Odunze, Washington’s No. 1 wide receiver could be the third wide receiver off the board and he’ll likely go in the Top 15. 

Teams in search of a quarterback that miss out on Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels will likely turn to Washington’s Michael Penix Jr or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

In the trenches, Washington’s left tackle Troy Fautanu has a realistic shot of being a first-round pick. Bralen Trice, one of Washington’s talented edge rushers also has first-round aspirations.

Those five are the headliners in a National Championship game that features plenty of talented NFL Draft prospects. Here are 10 names for Green Bay Packers fans to watch tonight.

Dominique Hampton, DB, Washington

Hampton is a versatile safety that can line up in the slot, in the box or deep. He has outstanding size and length for the position. Hampton enters the matchup tonight with 99 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections. 

Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington

Johnson is hard-nosed and slippery. He keeps his legs driving through contact and always seems to fall forward. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson picked up 673 yards after contact this season.

Rod Moore, S, Michigan

Will he stay or will he go? The Michigan safety missed the beginning of the season and started off slow. The rust started to wear off and he’s recorded 15 tackles and one interception over the past three games. With a strong showing against Washington’s aerial attack, Moore could vault for the NFL and be a day-three target for the Packers.

LaDarius Henderson, OL, Michigan

Henderson has tackle-guard versatility. Michigan’s starting left tackle and the Arizona State transfer has taken snaps at every position along the offensive line except for center. With his length and versatility, Henderson could be the next day three offensive lineman the Packers target.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Edwards is an explosive runner and a weapon in the passing game. He enters the game with 68 career receptions and three receiving touchdowns. While a dynamic threat, Edwards is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry this season and could opt to return to school. If he declares, Edwards could be a versatile and dynamic weapon for the Packers.

Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

Like Henderson, Fautanu offers tackle-guard versatility. Unlike Henderson though, Fautanu is a Top 50 prospect and could be a potential target for the Packers with the New York Jets’ second-round pick. The Washington left tackle has quick feet and the lateral quickness to stick at left tackle on Sundays.

Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan

The man nicknamed The Mutant and the nephew of Cullen Jenkins, is a powerful defensive lineman. To go along with all that raw power, Jenkins is quick out of his stance, showcasing explosive movements to get upfield quickly and disrupt the action in the backfield.

Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Edge, Washington

The Washington edge rusher’s calling card is his power. He has adequate initial quickness and converts speed to power. ZTF projects as a late-day three selection and would provide quality depth behind Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness.

Trevor Keegan, G, Michigan

The Michigan starter at left guard, Keegan has been a brick wall in pass protection this season. According to PFF, Keegan has given up zero sacks this season and yielded just 11 pressures. A year after drafting zero offensive linemen, Brian Gutekunst could target Keegan to add depth along the interior of the offensive line.

Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington

From walk-on to captain, Ulofoshio plays with the relentless play style that Green Bay’s defense occasionally lacks. With his competitive spirit, football IQ and leadership, Ulofoshio could be a day-three target for the Packers as they look to improve on special teams and potentially replace De’Vondre Campbell.