WR DaeSean Hamilton improves draft stock — again — with stunning 40-yard dash
DaeSean Hamilton entered Penn State’s Pro Day with one big question mark — and exited Tuesday with the biggest exclamation mark of the event.
The wideout, who’s improved his draft stock at every opportunity, walked into Holuba Hall in the morning with one nagging question about his speed. NFL scouts grumbled in the stands about how he’d likely run a 4.65 — but then Hamilton took off sprinting in the 40-yard dash. And any grumbles were replaced with gasps.
According to Hamilton, he was hand-timed by different scouts between a 4.47 and a 4.51. Penn State’s official numbers had him at a 4.52.
“It was my biggest question mark; the majority of the NFL guys didn’t know how fast I was going to run,” Hamilton said Tuesday afternoon, adding his fastest time in Happy Valley hovered around the mid-4.5s. “I don’t think anyone even expected me to get in the 4.5s, to be honest.”
Former teammate Mike Gesicki watched his friend’s 40-yard dash behind a few scouts, where he said he heard them talk about a likely 4.65. (“I’m sitting there like, ‘You better get ready to click again because it’s coming,’” Gesicki said.) The tight end spotted a “4.49” on one scout’s watch and rushed over to Hamilton to congratulate him.
A smiling Hamilton just waved him off.
“I didn’t want them to tell me any good news and me thinking that, OK, my day’s over with,” Hamilton said. “I just wanted to wait until the end of the day to see what the official time was.”
Right away, though, he knew it was good. He walked over to his agent with a permanent grin fixed to his face, and even reporters situated 30 yards from where Hamilton’s run ended could tell it was a lot faster than anticipated.
His receiving drills went just as well. He caught everything thrown his way — with the exception of one errant pass that was thrown over his head on a short route. He more than made up for that with a 50-yard, over-the-shoulder bomb he caught in stride.
“I hope I helped myself a lot,” Hamilton said, referring to his draft stock. “I tried to do all the things people wanted me to do.”
Added teammate Grant Haley: “He’s definitely gotten a lot faster and a lot stronger. His draft stock has just risen.”
Before the all-star bowls, there was some question as to whether Hamilton would even hear his name called during the NFL draft. One AFC team’s regional scout told NFL.com that, “I think he goes undrafted.” But then Hamilton tore up the defensive backs at the East-West Shrine Game. And then he earned an invitation at the Senior Bowl, where he impressed yet again and moved up the draft boards.
With those all-star performances and a so-so NFL Combine, where he did not run the 40, he was considered a Day 3 lock. But then he broke Mel Kiper’s top-10 receiver rankings last month, with some experts pegging him as a third-round pick. His performance Tuesday should only help fuel another rise.
Hamilton said he has talked a lot to the Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. But he’ll be training in State College, a centrally-located place from which he said he can just as easily fly or work out. With the way Tuesday went, odds are he’ll be talking to a lot more teams in the coming weeks.
“I feel like the last few months I’ve definitely impressed myself,” Hamilton said. “I didn’t expect myself to do this well.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2018 at 4:03 PM with the headline "WR DaeSean Hamilton improves draft stock — again — with stunning 40-yard dash."