After putting together an impressive junior campaign that included 10 interceptions for Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., Victor Hampton was just beginning to see his recruitment heat up. Despite overtures from Georgia, Clemson and a number of other schools, Hampton didn’t hesitate to make his commitment to the Florida Gators official on Tuesday after talking on the phone to a number of coaches at the University of Florida.
Hampton becomes the third prospect in the Class of 2010 to be projected in the defensive backfield, and if the early returns are any indication, the Gators are well on their way to putting together one of the best crops of defensive backs in the country.
Hampton (5-10, 167) had been very close to committing over the past couple of weeks, but finally made it official today when he broke the good news to multiple members of the coaching staff.
“I talked to coach (Vance) Bedford, coach (Kenny) Carter and (head coach Urban) Meyer today,” Hampton said, informing all parties involved of his commitment. As for their response? “They were excited, ready to see me,” he said.
The relationship with the coaches at Florida went a long way toward landing Hampton’s commitment as evidenced by his glowing comments about the Gator coaching staff. “The coaches are great. They talk to me a lot. They told me how interested in me they were,” he said.
Clearly that interest paid off, and Florida has quickly built a strong base for its 2010 recruiting class.
Hampton became a hot commodity after a junior season in which he intercepted the ball 10 times and also racked up 50 tackles. While his combine numbers may not blow everyone away, Hampton certainly seems to possess great instincts for the position, and he isn’t afraid to be physical. Overall, Hampton brings an impressive skill set to the table, but his big junior season didn’t start off so great.
“Against Byrnes (in the preseason) I had a chance to make a pick and run it back, but I dropped it,” he said. But things quickly turned in Hampton’s favor. “The first game of the season I had two interceptions. That showed people I could play a little bit.”
Hampton’s season only got better from there, and he not only became one of Independence’s best performers but one of its leaders. “I was trying to be leader too, even thought I was only a junior,” Hampton said. “So it turned out to be a great season which is what I needed.”
While his stats from his junior season were pretty good, his numbers from the recent NIKE combine in Charlotte weren’t so bad, either. “I had a 99.33 (SPARQ) rating,” Hampton reports. “I talked to a lot of guys from ESPN. It was my first combine ever, so I did real good.” Hampton was clearly pleased with performance.
Independence High in Charlotte annually produces a number of good prospects, and has become a powerhouse football program under the guidance of Tom Knotts. In recent years the Patriots have sent numerous big-time prospects to a number of major programs to the Southeast, a list that includes (but is not limited to) Joe Cox, Mohamed Massaquoi, Hakeem Nicks, Devonte Holloman and Makiri Pugh.
Oh, and some record-setting quarterback named Chris Leak, who led the Florida Gators to the 2006 national championship as a senior. Since Ron Zook convinced Leak to come to Florida, the Gators haven’t been successful in their recruiting efforts there until Thursday.
Hampton should become a familiar sight in Gainesville. “I’m going to go down this March a couple of times,” he said Thursday. He also expects to come down with several teammates and coaches for the Friday Night Lights showcase which Florida puts on every July.
Josh Kranish, an assistant coach at Independence High, also expanded on why Victor Hampton is a Florida-level recruit on Thursday.
“Athletically, he’s just go gifted,” Kranish said of his star pupil. “I’ve never coached a kid who is better at tracking a ball down in the air. He came to us pretty raw, just basically relying on his athletic ability. Next thing you know, he’s starting to buy in, starting to take to a little bit of coaching.”
Kranish spoke not only of Hampton’s physical maturation over the past year, but of the improvements in the mental part of his game as well. “He comes off as a kid who if he were to get beat deep, it would bother him,” Kranish said. “That’s how we got him, but after a year with us, that’s gone. He’s aggressive, he’s going to take chances, and if he’s not there to make the play, he’ll finish off with the tackle.”
With that, Florida lands yet another talented prospect to add to what is already shaping up to be a banner Class in 2010. North Carolina also produced another gem for Florida, as the Gators previously dipped into the Tar Heel state to land star prospects Carl Johnson, Brandon Spikes and Xavier Nixon.
While Victor Hampton has some work to do to join such an elite group of players, he certainly has all the tools to become a star in the Florida secondary for years to come.