Husky Roster Review: Hampton Has Most Games Played, Needs Rewards
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Dominique Hampton has never been an All-Pac-12 player, not even an honorable-mention recipient. He doesn't show up in the mock drafts, at least not just yet.
However, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound defensive back holds a couple of notable distinctions that sets himself apart from everyone else on the University of Washington football team.
Hampton has played in more Husky games (42) and gone through more definitive position changes (3) than anyone else on the roster.
In his sixth season in Montlake, playing for his third different UW coach, Hampton has put in his time and his patience — he just needs to be duly rewarded for his college football experience now.
Going down the roster from No. 0 to 99, Hampton, who wears No. 7 on defense, is next up in a series of profiles about each of the Huskies' scholarship players and assorted walk-ons, summing up their spring football performances and surmising what might come next for them.
POSITION WANTED
Entering year two of the Kalen DeBoer empire build, Hampton from Glendale, Arizona, has appeared in UW football games over each of the five previous seasons, in order 4, 11, 4, 11 and 12.
His 42 appearances exceed defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa (41), defensive tackle Ulumoo Ale (40), tight end Devin Culp (39), tight end Jack Westover (37), edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui (36) and fellow safety Asa Turner (36), all seniors.
To get there, Hampton showed up at the UW as a cornerback, moved to safety and became a fill-in starter, converted to the Husky hybrid role and become a full-time starter last season, and returned to No. 1 strong safety this spring,
Most recently, he traded a coverage responsibility for more of a contact role.
"It allows me to just come down the hill and hit," he said, "which is really what I like to do."
Jimmy Lake brought Hampton in as a corner, then put 25 pounds on him and turned him into a safety, where he made three midseason starts in 2021, all the while trying to plug in somewhere.
DeBoer's staff, however, envisioned him as a hybrid Husky and started him 11 times, before practically redoing the entire secondary this spring after it suffered mightily last fall when almost every other UW position group flourished.
The coaches like Hampton's size and physicality, but presumably wanted a little more speed at the Husky role, their nickelback position, to go with two newer and faster cornerback starters.
So DeBoer's staff, always willing to tinker with the personnel at great length in looking for the right mix, did a round-about offseason trade, putting former corner starter Mishael Powell in the starting Husky position and moving Hampton back to a No. 1 safety spot as a replacement for the graduated Alex Cook.
Hampton needs only to make all of that promise and experience of his work to the point he enjoys some sort of all-conference season as he heads out the door.
DOMINIQUE HAMPTON FILE
Service: Again, Hampton leads the team in UW games played, appearing in 42 of the 56 games on the schedule during his time in Montlake. He started 11 times in 2022, sitting out a game and coming off the bench in another because of injuries.
Stats: He comes to the final season of his Husky career with 81 tackles, 7 pass break-ups and a forced fumble, with 42 tackles and 4 of the deflections coming last season. Conspicuously missing in those team-best 42 appearances is an interception.
Role: Pencil in Hampton as a starter for the second consecutive season, only with different responsibilities as the DeBoer staff goes for a significant secondary upgrade. He should be a reliable presence with all of his experience.
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