Summary

DaVon Hamilton was selected in Round 3 (#73 Overall) in the 2020 Draft out of Ohio State University. At Ohio State, he played 54 games, finishing with 66 tackles, seven sacks, and 21 tackles for loss while earning Third‑Team All‑Big Ten honors in 2019. Since joining the NFL, Hamilton has appeared in over 80 games, recording 220+ tackles, 5.5 sacks, and multiple pass deflections, and has earned a three‑year contract extension through 2025, reflecting his value to Jacksonville’s front. Known for his strong anchor, reliability, and work‑ethic, he regularly serves as a run‑defense staple and rotational pass‑rusher. Off the field, Hamilton is respected for his professionalism and team‑first attitude, helping him carve out a consistent role in a developing Jaguars defense. Hamilton even stepped in to long snap in one game in 2025 when the Jaguars long snapper suffered an injury in-game.

Strengths

• Elite Size & Power: At ~6′4″ and 335 lb, Hamilton offers prototypical interior tackle mass with leverage and strength to anchor versus double teams and clog running lanes.

• Run‑Defense Anchor: Consistently a force on early downs; he fills gaps, sheds blocks, and makes tackles at the point of attack, often freeing teammates to clean up plays. Rarely shy about contact and contributes high tackle counts for a defensive lineman.

• Interior Disruption Ability: Though not an elite sack producer, Hamilton brings occasional pressure and pocket collapse from his tackle spot, exemplified by multi‑sack seasons early in his career.

• Team Leadership: His extension and role suggest strong locker‑room presence and coachability, traits valued on a developing defensive line. His teammate, Josh Hines-Allen, has publicly labeled Hamilton “the best nose tackle in the league.”

Weaknesses

• Limited Pass‑Rush Production: Pedestrian career sack totals and pressure grades enforce that he’s more of a disruptor than a true interior pass rusher and not a consistent threat to QBs. With the way Depth’s grading formulas are set up for DTs favoring pressure and production, Hamilton’s score will not adequately reflect his contributions to the team.

• Athleticism & Quickness: Compared to premier interior rushers, Hamilton’s burst and lateral agility are average, limiting his ability to chase mobile quarterbacks or penetrate cleanly inside.

• Run‑Defense Grade Variance: Advanced grading suggests run‑defense impact is solid but not elite relative to all NFL interior defenders, suggesting he’s dependable but not dominant. Best suited as a gap filler/anchor in even fronts; his value is maximized in run‑first or balanced fronts — less so in schemes that demand interior finesse pass rush.

• Flash Play Limitations: While steady, his play rarely jumps off tape as a game‑changer in terms of highlight pressures or tackles for loss, which can temper his overall value compared to peak interior stars.

Outlook

Hamilton projects as a core defensive tackle and run‑defense anchor in Jacksonville’s front seven. His size, strength, and consistency make him an ideal fit for early‑down run situations and base defensive fronts, where he can occupy blockers and maintain gap integrity. He is a big reason why the Jaguars graded out as the #1 run defense in the 2025 season as he regained his form following a nasty back injury that put his career at risk a few years prior. Hamilton’s outlook is stable and reliable. While he may never be a perennial Pro Bowl interior pass rusher, his ability to consistently contribute in the trenches gives him a long career path as a starting or strong rotational tackle. In the next few seasons, he should remain a key piece of Jacksonville’s defensive front, especially if the team continues to bolster its edge rushers and linebacking corps. Should he refine his pass‑rush tools and leverage better, there’s some upside to sporadic sack spikes, but his core value remains as a high‑effort, dependable run‑stuffer and interior warhorse. His professionalism and contract status indicate that the Jaguars see him as a foundational piece rather than a replaceable depth player.