Last Updated on April 29, 2023 5:38 pm
BOONE, N.C. — For the fourth straight year, an App State Football alum has been selected in the NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams picked pass-rushing standout Nick Hampton in the fifth round Saturday, using the 161st overall selection on the 6-foot-2, 236-pound edge defender.
Hampton becomes the fifth Mountaineer selected since 2020 and the 16th Mountaineer picked in the last 16 drafts.
With 26.5 career sacks, including 7.0 in nine games during his final year at App State, Hampton ranked No. 5 among full-time FBS players who were active during the 2022 season. According to NCAA statistics and PFF College data, he also finished his FBS career with 133 QB pressures, 175 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Hampton began the 2022 season with 2.5 sacks against North Carolina and ended the opening month by adding two more against James Madison. Despite missing the final three games, in addition to his sack total, he accumulated 39 tackles, 25 QB pressures, 9.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 2022.
A native of Anderson, S.C., Hampton is the 32nd different App State alum to be selected in the NFL Draft, dating back to 1942.
