For Grading Score explanation, click here

Overview:

HT: 5’9″ WT: 176

K.J. Hamler is name that will get more and more notoriety as the draft approaches. Many in the industry believe he could be the next Tyreek Hill (they even flash the same signature peace sign on breakaway scores), however that isn’t so clear. Known for his small stature and electrifying speed, Hamler took a huge leap forward in 2019 and became one of the scariest playmakers in the BIG 10. Definitely a fun prospect he has star potential, but there are some concerns, mostly about his size.

Critical Factors:

• Athletic Ability (6)
  • Hamler is going to get a lot of Tyreek Hill comparisons, first and foremost because of the way he runs. Speed is a commodity as it is something you cannot teach and Hamler has it.
  • He has very fast, twitchy feet and boasts excellent lateral movement as well as straight-line speed.
  • He displays excellent short-area burst. His ability to stop and start at full speed is one of his best traits.
  • He is under-sized, and therefore can be outmatched physically, but his speed allows him to compete at the highest level, at least from the slot.
• Mental Processing (5)
  • Understands how to find the soft spots in a defense and how to win one-on-one match-ups.
  • Tracks the ball well in the air.
  • He reads the defense well, understanding when there is/isn’t help over the top or if he has extra room to operate.
  • Reads holes in coverage well when punt returning.
• Competitive Toughness (4)
  • Lacks the size to play with a physical style, can get re-routed by contact from defensive backs.
  • A willing blocker, he holds his own against similarly sized and even slightly bigger competition. He will likely struggle to block in the NFL, at least at first.
• Play Speed (6)
  • His value comes from the excellent play speed he has, but many smaller players are fast. The combine will answer questions about his speed, namely, is he above average or elite in regards to speed.
  • He could utilize his speed a little better before he gets the ball in his hands.
• Play Strength (2)
  • His pedestrian play strength is covered up by his usage. He is used almost exclusively out of the slot to create mismatches and create more opportunities for him.
  • Players who have had success at his size have put on muscle onto their lean frame to add that aspect to their game, it is yet to be seen if he can do the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6wM9xzJ7Ho

Position Specific Traits:

• Route Running (5)
  • Hamler is an above average route runner, but he has more work to be done to get crisper cuts.
  • He has shown improvement each season, and has excellent hips making his routes hard to anticipate.
  • He does a great job at stopping and starting when making double moves, this is where he excels as most DBs cannot catch back up with him when he stutters.
  • He adjusts to the ball in the air really well.
  • He is utilized heavily in the screen and fake screen game, this should continue at the next level.
  • He works almost exclusively out of the slot so he runs a lot of out routes and corner routes.
  • He can be re-routed when a physical or bigger defender gets their hands on him.
• Release (4)
  • He has a good release, he gets off the line fast and uses his feet well to make opposing defensive backs hesitate off the line.
  • College DBs most played off coverage because of the home-run threat Hamler displayed, he could struggle against press coverage with more confident and talented corners on him at the next level.
• Catching (5)
  • His hands are solid, there are a some questionable drops on tape but not enough to be cause for major concern.
  • He does struggle if there is tight coverage to make heavily contested catches.
  • Displays an ability to catch the ball over his shoulder, and tracks the ball in the air very well.
• Blocking (4)
  • He is a willing blocker, and displays good hand usage/technique.
  • He does get overpowered by stronger defensive players so his blocking ceiling not very high.

Scheme/Fit: Hamler would have a role in any offense as he can be used effectively in both the vertical and horizontal passing game. His skills would like be optimized in a spread offense where quick hitters could turn into big plays with his after the catch ability.

Negatives: The negatives are obvious before you even watch Hamler’s tape. The size is a question mark, even though we’ve seen some small players turn into stars lately, they still all have a physical aspect to their game and even if Hamler is willing to be physical, his frame doesn’t support that style of play.

Combine Report:

Relevant Numbers: DNP

As a speed guy evaluators everywhere were looking forward to seeing Hamler show off at the combine, but he did not participate so they will have to wait until his pro day.

NFL Player Comparison/Projected Round: Brandin Cooks (Tyreek Hill/Tavon Austin) — Round 2

Hamler is a really interesting comparison because the players he most closely resembles are stars, yet he isn’t quite there yet. I really like the Brandin Cooks comparison for Hamler, their tape is similar in college. Hamler and Cooks both have smaller frames, but breakaway speed, good route running and great intangibles that make them stars at their respective levels. The key differences are that Hamler doesn’t play with the physicality that Cooks does, to bounce off tackles, and that Hamler only really plays in the slot whereas Cooks lines up primarily outside. Tyreek Hill is not my primary comparison mostly because Hamler doesn’t show that ability to get under the ball and come down with it in difficult circumstances the same way that Tyreek Hill does. Both Cooks and Hill stand an inch taller than Hamler with an extra ten pounds of muscle which allows them to be more physical for their size than Hamler. I threw Tavon Austin in the mix because his size profile and style of play is more similar to Hamler, but Hamler projects to be a better NFL player than Austin has turned out to be.

I expect him to go in the early second round. We don’t know what Hamler’s 40 time is, at least until the pro day, but many expect sub 4.3. Speed is a premium and that could have Hamler sneaking into the first round. If his 40 yard dash is disappointing he could see a slide. This is a really talented WR draft class, which tends to push those second tier and worse receivers down the board, but the speed Hamler has could end up being unmatched by any other prospect and that may just be the difference.

As always, we end on a high note, check out Hamler’s highlights!