The 2020 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the K.J. Hamler 2020 NFL Draft profile.

Background

Position: Wide Receiver

Size: 5-foot-9, 178 pounds

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

2019 stats: 56 receptions, 904 receiving yards, 8 touchdown catches, 16.1 yards per reception

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2OL0GArKig&t=7s

Hamler only played two seasons at Penn State, but made a huge impact, which has helped him become a solid NFL Draft prospect. He joined Penn State as a four or three-star recruit depending on the publication and made the most of his time on campus.

In his first year at Penn State, he redshirted. He made an impact as a redshirt freshman in 2018 with 42 receptions for 754 yards and five touchdowns. The Nittany Lions won nine games that season, but lost to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl to cap off the season. Hamler had a great redshirt sophomore season with 56 receptions for 904 yards and eight touchdowns. Penn State won 11 games and beat Memphis in the Cotton Bowl for another solid season.

Even though he was just a redshirt sophomore, Hamler decided to forgo his last two seasons of eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. He is one of the many talented receivers in the class and should be drafted before day two of the NFL Draft is over.

Strengths

He has good speed, which helps him separate. Even though he didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, he was projected to run in the 4.4 range. This shows up on tape, as he has the breakaway speed to take the ball to the end zone once he gets past his man. With the ability to separate and breakaway, Hamler’s speed could make him a difference-maker in the NFL.

Hamler is explosive with the ball in his hands. He has the ability to run after the catch well, which likely comes with a little bit of help from his time as a return specialist as well. His ability to be elusive and quick allows him to make even routine plays into big ones. He can use his speed, quickness and a variety of moves to be tough to bring down.

He has solid releases at the line of scrimmage, which helps him separate early on in plays. His releases can throw defenders off balance or get them all turned around after the snap. If he can continue to work on his releases, he will be able to do the same thing at the next level.

Weaknesses

Hamler’s biggest weakness is his size. Durability concerns will arise because he is only 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds, which is much smaller than the majority of players on the field. His size will also limit his catch radius. NFL quarterbacks will have to fit the ball into even tighter windows in order to get Hamler the ball.

His strength is also below average for an NFL receiver. NFL corners will be able to push him off of his routes, jam him at the line of scrimmage, shed his blocks and beat him out for 50-50 balls. Big and strong corners will make him struggle. He’ll have to buy into the strength program early and NFL teams will restrict him to playing in the slot due to his lack of strength.

He doesn’t have the best ball skills, as he has trouble tracking deep balls, which can leave some big plays on the table. Hamler is also a body catcher and needs to catch with his hands instead to pluck the ball out of the air. This can lead to drops as well, so he’ll need to work on this before setting foot on an NFL field.

Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Third Round Pick

Make sure to check out our brand new NFL Draft page for more content!

You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!