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Position: SS
Class: 2009 Big Board
Year: Senior
Hometown: Timmonsville, SC
Date of Birth: 11/21/85
Height: 6030
Weight: 205
Bench Press: n/a
Vertical Jump: n/a
40 T: n/a
Projection: 4th/5th Round
Ordering: 152
12/31/08 - The Senior Bowl said Wednesday that quarterback Cullen Harper, safety Michael Hamlin and tailback James Davis of the Tigers, along with receiver Kenny McKinley of the Gamecocks accepted invitations to play in the Jan. 24 game.
Posted August 2008:
Pros: He has the length and frame that NFL scouts look for in safeties, not to mention first-rate tackling skills. He patrols the Tiger defensive backfield with the ability to play both the pass and the run. Hamlin has good instincts, is not overly aggressive, and is capable of making a big play—just a few of the qualities that make him a bright football player and a team leader.
Cons: Hamlin lacks the ideal bulk and will need to get bigger and stronger to reach his potential at the next level. He also doesn’t possess blazing speed, which could make him vulnerable in pass coverage. Hamlin needs to show more fluidity moving back, right now he’s at his best when the action happens in front of him. Durability could be an issue as Hamlin has broken his foot twice, once during the 2006 season (missed three games) and again in the spring of 2007.
Overall: Hamlin began flashing his potential towards the end of his sophomore season when he set a career high with 10 tackles in the season finale against rival South Carolina. He followed that up with 15 stops in Clemson’s Bowl game against Kentucky. Hamlin’s junior season saw him register 97-tackles, second on the team. He could secure a day one selection with similar improvement in his final season in Clemson. Hamlin should be a starting caliber player at the next level with upside should he fill his 6’3” frame.