Nick Hampton NFL Draft Overview
Position: Edge Defender
Height: 6′-2″
Weight: 236 pounds
School: Appalachian State
2023 NFL Draft: Nick Hampton Scouting Report
After spending the past five seasons at Appalachian State, Nick Hampton has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The edge defender and linebacker hybrid is coming off yet another strong season for the Mountaineers. Appearing in nine games, Hampton finished the year with 39 tackles, 9.5 tackles-for-loss, and seven sacks.
Nick Hampton first joined the college football world in 2018 but didn’t see any meaningful action until 2019. During that campaign, the South Carolina native recorded 23 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, and 5.5 sacks. He had a similar season in 2020, recording 42 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, and three sacks in nine games.
Nick Hampton took his game to the next level in 2021, playing in 14 games while setting career-highs in tackles (68), tackles-for-loss (17.5), and sacks (11).
Strengths
- Fast player – can chase down plays all over the field;
- Various pass rushing moves keep opposing tackles on edge;
- Engages the tackles before they engage him, collapsing the pocket and making the quarterback uncomfortable;
- Fast off the snap and quickly reaches top speed;
- Impressive lateral movement allows him to slip past blockers.
Weaknesses
- Very, very small – 1st percentile weigh-in among edge defenders;
- Lacks a true position – unclear where he’ll play on running downs;
- 17th percentile height means he doesn’t have much room to add more muscle without sacrificing speed;
- Can be pushed around by tackles in the run game;
- Good but not great athleticism – probably won’t be able to overcome his physical shortcomings;
- Will need at least two years before he’s ready to become anything other than a situational pass rusher.
NFL Comparison: Less athletic Bruce Irvin
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Rounds 4-5
Bottom Line on Nick Hampton
Nick Hampton enters the 2023 NFL Draft facing an uphill battle to become a starter at the professional level. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t find a home in today’s NFL. Throwing the ball has never been more important and, conversely, it’s never been more important for a defense to have a guy that can slow down an opponent’s aerial attack.
Hampton should be able to immediately make an impact in passing situations, as he already has the speed and pass-rushing moves to consistently get after the quarterback. The Appalachian State product boasts incredible speed off the snap and a variety of methods to get at the quarterback. Additionally, if the quarterback is mobile, Hampton should be able to chase them down for a loss on the play.
The biggest issue with Hampton is his size. The edge defender weighs a measly 236 pounds, which is well undersized for an EDGE role. Needless to say, a guy of that weight will have a hard time handling the run game. In a perfect world, Hampton would just add some muscle, but he is considerably shorter than the average edge defender, which means that his body likely can’t hold any additional mass without sacrificing some of his speed.
Some players can get away with smaller builds, but they need to have elite athleticism to offset their lack of height and weight. Nick Hampton is a good athlete, but he’s not Nolan Smith. Chances are, Hampton will spend the majority of his career coming off the bench in passing situations and probably finish every season with 3-5 sacks.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
