Ty Hamilton Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch)
School: Ohio State
Class: Senior
Position: IDL
HT: 6’3
WT: 299 lbs
CLICK HERE TO WATCH MY TY HAMILTON FILM BREAKDOWN
Background: Ty Hamilton was a consensus 3-star recruit from Pickerington, Ohio. His older brother, DaVon, was an All-Big 10 player for the Buckeyes and was selected in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hamilton played for Pickerington Central, as he is a local product for the Buckeyes. At Pickerington, he was quite versatile along the defensive line, playing anywhere from nose tackle to a stand-up edge rusher. As a linebacker, Hamilton was First Team All-Ohio. As a senior, Hamilton led Pickerington to a Division I state championship. It was clear where his recruitment was headed. His brother played for Ohio State and he was a local product. However, it is worth mentioning that Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky all made strong pushes to steal Hamilton from the Buckeyes.
College: Hamilton has been named Academic All-Big 10 twice in his career. He has mainly been used as a rotational defensive tackle in Columbus but broke out in 2022 and started the last 5 games of the season. In 2023, Hamilton was an All-Big 10 honorable mention after making 38 tackles and adding 2 sacks. Hamilton’s final campaign in 2024 saw him be the most productive version of himself. He made 44 tackles and 3 sacks, making him an honorable mention selection, once again.
Strengths: Ty Hamilton packs quite the punch as a defensive tackle. He explodes out of his stance and into the pads of offensive linemen, effectively knocking them off their foundation. Hamilton maintains his gaps well, consistently clogging rushing lanes and forcing ball carriers to bounce outside. Hamilton has heavy hands to deconstruct blocks and muddy the pocket as a pass rusher. Hamilton has functional strength to win with at the point of attack. He does well to shed extra help along the line from chip blockers or double teams. Hamilton moves quite well for the position. He stays low at the point of attack, allowing himself to squeeze through the line and make a play in the backfield. Ty Hamilton has a dense frame and a powerful lower half that he uses to charge through the offensive line. He never stops his legs from moving, playing with a high motor on every snap.
Weaknesses: Hamilton has length, but he has sporadic hand placement in the phone booth. He loses the reps in which he does not have perfect hand placement, and that happens far too often. He needs to utilize his big hands and long arms more functionally. As a pass rusher, he does not have a bag of tricks he can go to on a consistent basis. Hamilton has won with pure strength but will need to rely on more than that to win in the NFL. He shows difficulty shedding blocks with his hands.
Conclusion: Ty Hamilton is a powerful interior defensive lineman who can play either 1 or 3 tech. He clogs the lane as a run defender and maintains gap integrity. If Hamilton can brush up on technique as a pass rusher, he will turn into a prized player on the defensive line.
Scheme Fit: Even Front
Ideal Role: 1 tech
Best Team Fits: SF, JAX, CLE
Player Comparison: DJ Jones
Player Grade: Round 3 (76.6)
