Could DaVon Hamilton Chase These Jaguars Rookie Stats?

What Jacksonville Jaguars rookie stats could defensive linemen DaVon Hamilton chase this fall?

Jacksonville Jaguars third round pick Davon Hamilton will look to implement himself into an experienced defensive line this season. As the Jaguars and defensive coordinator Todd Wash roll the Ohio State product into system, what are the chances Hamilton could surpass some past defensive line rookies in production?

From his spot at defensive tackle, it’s unlikely Hamilton would be breaking any of the rookie records as they stand. A DT isn’t going to bypass Bryan Schwartz’s 161 tackles from his 1995 rookie year. However, Hamilton could still very well become the depth building wrecking ball the Jacksonville Jaguars want him to be this season. If he performs at that level, he will be chasing down the numbers former first round pick Tyson Alualu tallied his rookie season.

The Jaguars shocked everyone when they took Alualu at number 10 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was named a starter and held the role at defensive tackle for all 16 games that season. In the first game of his NFL career, he sacked Denver Bronco’s quarterback Kyle Orton and finished with three solo tackles. By season’s end, Alualu had 38 combined tackles (29 solo), 3.5 sacks and one pass defended.

While Abry Jones began to come on his second year with the Jaguars, no current Jacksonville defensive tackle were able to match those numbers in their first years. So could Hamilton be the first since Alualu to surpass 30+ tackles and three or more sacks as a Jags rookie?

Hamilton didn’t reach those numbers in any one year while a Buckeye, but did see steady improvement each and every season with a 75% jump in tackle production from his redshirt junior to senior year and a jump from no sacks to six his final season. Hamilton is a big body, 320 pounds, making him the third biggest defensive tackle currently on the roster. He’s not the fastest but uses his size for leverage.

“We really feel good about him,” said Head Coach Doug Marrone after the Jaguars drafted Hamilton in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

“He is a big guy. We think he is going to get a lot better even though he is really good right now. You can see him on the move. He has such great strength at the holding point. I think he is going to really help us on the inside.

Added General Manager Dave Caldwell, “[Hamilton’s] production per snap was really good. Like Coach Marrone said, since we lost Marcell [Dareus] with his injury, we have been missing a big body. That is why we got Al Woods. Now we have a young version of Al – 6’4, 320.

“He is a guy that can hold the point [of attack]. We will have a nice rotation with those guys. DeVon, Abry [Jones], Taven [Bryan]. We wanted to get bigger up front and protect our linebackers and Joe [Schobert] and Myles [Jack]. Now we have K’Lavon Chassion. We feel good about the front seven. That was an area we wanted to improve.”