Penn State WR KJ Hamler drafted by Denver: Here’s what the Broncos are getting
KJ Hamler is going to find himself in a loaded offense as a rookie.
The former Penn State wide receiver heard his name called in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft Friday night when he was picked by the Denver Broncos at No. 46 overall.
Hamler was projected to go at some point on the second day of the draft, according to most mock projections, including the Centre Daily Times’ three-round mock draft.
The 5-foot-9, 178-pound receiver played most of his time in the slot at Penn State and that’s expected to be where he’ll spend most of his time with Denver. He’ll have a chance to get playing time with the Broncos early if he can beat fellow former Nittany Lion DaeSean Hamilton for snaps.
His draft position falls in line with former NFL scout and current Ourlads general manager Dan Shonka, who called Hamler a second or third round pick in an interview with the CDT. Hamler was the second former Nittany Lion off the board behind defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, who went No. 38 overall in the second round to the Carolina Panthers.
Shonka cited Hamler’s speed as his best asset and sees a player who will continue to excel in the slot.
“He’s electric,” Shonka told the CDT. “That’s his calling card. He’s a super-fast guy who exploded on the scene as a redshirt freshman.”
The wide receiver came to Penn State as a four-star recruit from high school football powerhouse IMG Academy after transferring there while he was in high school.
He finished his Penn State career with 1,658 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns in two years as the team’s best wide receiver, before forgoing his final two years of eligibility to enter the draft.
Hamler left the Nittany Lions after his redshirt sophomore season, but made a massive impact in his two years on the field. He became former Nittany Lion, and current Baltimore Raven, quarterback Trace McSorley’s top target at wide receiver as a freshman and stayed atop the depth chart when Sean Clifford took the helm of the offense.
He’s not likely to be the No. 1 option with his NFL team because of his size, but could still make plenty of impact long term with the Broncos.
He’ll join Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy in the Broncos receiver corps, and will likely be their third option if he can win the starting slot position. Sutton was the team’s clear top option last season, while Jeudy was the team’s first round pick this season at No. 15 overall.
Shonka said the wide receiver’s versatility will play a big role in extending his career.
“He’s an impact guy,” Shonka said. “He gives you return ability. He’ll be a chess piece for teams or a utility player. I think he’ll be a really good slot player in the league.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 8:20 PM.
