Following Monday’s practice to kick off week four of Arizona State's spring schedule, head coach Kenny Dillingham stressed the importance of identifying a No. 2 wide receiver. With seven new wideouts in the position group. Redshirt junior Jordyn Tyson remains the team's staple option through the air and the only proven player at the power conference level in that position group.
“We need a second option. There’s no secret (Tyson) is our number one option,” Dillingham said. “We need somebody else to step up … somebody's gotta be able to run an option route, somebody's gotta be able to take the top off the defense. So, if teams bracket (Tyson), they go ‘Dang, what about this guy?’”
Insert redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaren Hamilton—the 6-foot-1 Florida native who spent his freshman season at Alabama. He only logged time in one game (against Mercer in a 52-7 victory) and didn’t register any impact on the play.
Hamilton’s talent and metrics are quite apparent. Listed at 195 lbs., he uses his explosiveness, strength, and vertical ability to become one of ASU’s most enticing deep ball threats—adding exactly what Dillingham says he needs from another wideout option.
“(I add) a lot of explosiveness, a lot of speed, and a lot of intensity on the field,” Hamilton said of what he brings to the wide receiver room. “I feel like when I'm on the field, there's nothing that I can't do, so just coming in and being the guy that can be relied on and showing my capabilities every day.”
Hamilton’s growth is starting to take shape. On Saturday, during the team's 11-on-11 scrimmages, he dominated the air, making home-run plays and scoring two touchdowns in the process. His chemistry with redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt is starting to blossom—and it’s apparent to everyone on the field.
“We’ve been hanging out outside of the field—sometimes we watch film together and stuff like that,” Hamilton said of his relationships with Leavitt and fifth-year QB Jeff Sims. “It’s been cool. Obviously, it's an experience, but they've been really encouraging to me, and we've been with each other every step of the way.
“We’re just finding that sweet spot. Like, obviously, I have speed, and he’s got an arm. So, we’re just finding sweet spots where we can complement each other. Sometimes (Leavitt) wants me to slow it down and come flatter on certain routes, or really take it deep and be higher on certain routes—just finding that sweet spot so we can mesh.”
Hamilton's trust in the coaching staff has seen him improve by leaps and bounds throughout spring practice. living up to the four-star ranking he received as a standout at Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz High School. His desire to come to Tempe started with Dillingham himself—and the prospect of being mentored by Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward didn’t hurt, either.
“Initially, I (saw) the success of the (College Football Playoffs), and then when I got out here, I honestly had no idea what I was getting into,” Hamilton admitted. “I just trusted myself, and when I got to meet Coach Dillingham, he just made me feel open and comfortable with my decision. We talked about things even outside of football—like, we connected as people—so that made me comfortable with choosing ASU over anybody else.”
While Hamilton’s recent play has reflected the profile his head coach is counting on, he still has areas to grow this spring. With temperatures in the Valley consistently rising into the mid-90s, the adjustment to playing in dry heat compared to southeastern humidity has been more daunting than advertised.
“I'd say the hardest thing is the dry heat. Coming from Florida or even being at Bama, it's a lot of humidity, but out here it's real dry,” Hamilton said. “So, it's working on my conditioning and trying to prosper through that. I'm used to it—I’m from Florida, so I'm used to, you know, it being wet and swampy.”
Hamilton is trying to be the next guy up for the wide receivers. His time at Alabama gave him the insight and tools necessary to succeed at the highest level, but things are different from a day-to-day perspective in Sun Devil Nation. One of those differences is the weight training system. Hamilton has broad shoulders and appears to be a very strong wide receiver, but now his weight training seems more refined and focused on the small details compared to Tuscaloosa.
“Weightlifting is a different regimen. At Alabama, it was a lot more things that we would do than over here,” Hamilton noted. “So, I had to get used to that. A lot of stuff is predicated on explosiveness, a lot of stuff is predicated on being able to focus on your ankles, feet—small little things like that. It's different, but it's still good.”
From Alabama to ASU, Hamilton has now spent time with two schools on different ends of the elite spectrum. The Crimson Tide are draped in recent history and pedigree, with a culture that has failed to waver over recent decades. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, are full steam ahead into a new chapter—led by a local Phoenix native in his third year as head coach. The culture at ASU is rapidly being instilled among the players, and for Hamilton, the connection feels just right.
“At the end of the day, we are all brothers,” Hamilton said. “We can compete, and at the end of the day when we go back in the locker room, we all hanging out with each other, dancing and laughing. It's a real brotherly love out here, and I like that. It's real camaraderie.”
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