Washington safety Domique Hampton could be Dan Quinn’s next protégé

Washington Huskies alum Dominique Hampton fits perfectly with the Washington Commanders.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is no stranger to the fans in Seattle. He is known for putting together one of the best defenses in NFL history, the Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” during his tenure as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Quinn selected Washington Huskies safety Dominique Hampton in the fifth round of April’s NFL draft, who is a perfect fit for his defense, and could allow the long-time staple of various UW defenses to thrive in the NFL.

Quinn has been linked to several top defenses, the aforementioned one Seahawks and more recently with the Dallas Cowboys. One of the positions that seems to be his forte at developing is safety.

Looking back at the Seahawks, the duo of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas was revered as the best combination at the position in the NFL for many years. While Thomas was a highly-touted, former first round pick, Chancellor was taken much later in that same 2010 draft, in the fifth round. Just like Hampton.

The list of safeties the Commanders head coach has developed is not only impressive but also a vital part of his scheme for the defense. Hampton has all the traits that many call “Quinn’s prototypical secondary” type thanks to his 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame and long arms, while his on-field skillset is also exactly what he looks for.

Hampton plays with fierce physicality, hitting hard with the speed and ability to chase plays down from behind. His versatility will come into play being able to offer a strong run defense, more than likely at the strong safety position, but can shift to more of a nickel corner if the scheme calls for it.

He has a high football IQ and was known to “quarterback” the defense while with the Huskies, aligning other players pre-snap. His success while on Montlake shows exactly how valuable he can be, as he recorded 190 tackles with 13 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and 2 interceptions over 57 games in his Washington career.

Hampton should fit nicely into how Quinn uses players who can be more of a Swiss Army knife on the field.

“Quinn loves and depends heavily upon versatility in his safeties, and he develops them with that in mind,” Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com told Huskies Wire. “There are still roles within that matrix though, such as Malik Hooker being the definitive center fielder who rarely comes down while Donovan Wilson acts as the thumper designed to cover less frequently but to disrupt the backfield and lateral run plays. Once Quinn identifies those two roles, any others in the group must be willing to play anywhere at any time — including linebacker.”

Not only will Quinn be developing Hampton, but Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. has had a lot of success with secondaries in the NFL. Whitt is known for his philosophy of prioritizing turnovers and was vital in the exceptional play of the Cowboys defensive backs Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland. Bland set the NFL ‘Pick 6” record in 2023 when he ran back 6 interceptions for touchdowns in only his second year in the NFL.

So, has Quinn found his next Kam Chancellor or Daron Bland in the former Husky standout? Time will tell, but all the pieces are there to think he has done just that.