Jewel Hampton, Running Back, Southern Illinois 2012 NFL Draft Player Profile

Measurables

5’9″ 218 pounds

31″ arm length, 9 5/8″ hands

26 bench press reps

4.47 second 40 yard dash, 33″ vertical jump, 6.9 second 3-cone drill, 4.2 second short shuttle

Pre-season report:

Hampton was part of the Iowa team in 2008 that featured star running back Shonn Greene, who would go on to earn Heisman consideration and win the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back. While Greene was dominant, he was given the opportunity to take a breather courtesy of Jewel Hampton, the freshman sensation who had 463 yards and a then freshman record seven rushing touchdowns. Hampton is a “bowling ball” style back with the ability to keep plays alive. However, as he was preparing in the Spring for his sophomore season and first as the full time starter, he went down with a knee injury and was given a medical redshirt. Hampton came back in 2010 and was expected to team up with Adam Robinson as one of the best running back tandems in the Big Ten. He was off to a solid start with 114 yards and one touchdown before he went down again in the second game, effectively ending his redshirt sophomore season. Hampton will now play for the Southern Illinois Salukis where hopefully he can turn his career around, back to the way it was in 2008 where he was electric as a reserve for the Hawkeyes. He was suspended one game in 201o for being cited in a bar fight, but had he stuck around at Iowa long enough, he might have had the inside track at the Hawkeyes’ starting job next year since Adam Robinson is now gone. If he can be productive at SIU for a year or two, and show that his knees are healthy enough, I think he is a worthy candidate as a potential NFL running back. He has the physical ability and obviously the desire to play, but can his knee hold up? Will his personal and emotional life get in the way?