PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If the comparison of NFL defensive backs to baseball closers is true, that you want confidence with a quick memory loss on bad plays. Damar Hamlin sounds like a good draft investment.
"Everyone in the NFL has athletic ability," Hamlin said. "I'm a natural born leader. I'm a player that is going to make everyone else around me better. I'm a team player. I'm an asset to an organization's brand."
That confidence comes from years of excelling in football, from his time at Central Catholic, ranked as the fourth best player in the state. To several ACC honors including Second-Team All-ACC in his final season. Hamlin led the Panthers in tackles and pass breakups with 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions in 2020.
While putting up 290 tackles, 27 passes defended and 6 interceptions during his career at Pitt, Hamlin believes his work with Panthers secondary coach Cory Sanders really improved his mental game. The pace slowed down for him as a senior and he has a better understanding of all that is going on with a defense.
One of the biggest lessons is actually little. The 6'1", 200 pound Hamlin learned it's the small things that separate players and plays being made. That leads to one of the best attributes a NFL team would get in him. He believes he's not only a student of the game, but he never stops learning.
"Just educating myself as much as I can at the next level and getting around some vets," Hamlin said. "Picking the vets brains on things that got them into the league for so long. Picking up on those small habits that can take me a long way."
He believes he was able to show that during his week at the Senior Bowl, which ended with Hamlin grabbing a tipped ball along the sidelines for an impressive interception.
Hamlin is working out in a group that includes former teammate and WPIAL star Dane Jackson, now with the Bills, Xavier Rhodes, former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew and Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer- a 7th round pick, yet has 202 tackles, 4 interceptions and 3 sacks over the last two seasons.
Hamlin said he won't feed into speculation as to where he might get selected. Mock drafts have him everywhere from late third round to sixth round.
"Teams have said I'm a smart player, real instinctive," Hamlin said of his meetings with NFL coaches and general managers. "They know I'm a leader. They've been hearing great things about me."
"I feel like I'm a team player. I will do anything to go in day one, rookie season, to help a team win. Whether it's free safety, slot corner, outside corner, punt team, kickoff team. I just want to be somewhere on that 53 man roster and making plays."
