COLLEGE: Looking for more depth and development at the safety position in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys used their second of three fifth round picks (166th overall) on Michael Hamlin. While in Dallas, Hamlin will begin his pro career looking to follow behind projected starters Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh while also playing a strong role on special teams. A starter at Clemson since his redshirt-freshman season, Hamlin's 43 starts in 48 games played was a school record as he went on to record 326 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 22 pass breakups and rank third in school history with 14 interceptions.
TRANSACTION SUMMARY:
4/26/09: Drafted in the fifth round (166th overall) by Dallas.
2008:
All-America honorable mention by The NFL Draft Report and Sports Illustrated and added All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honors from the Associated Press and the league's coaches and media.
Joined QB Cullen Harper as the team's first two-time squad captain since Chad Carson (2000-01).
Started all 13 games at the "Cat" position (strong safety) as a senior, ranking second on the team with a career-high 110 tackles (74 solos), adding a sack and three stops for losses of 11 yards on 828 defensive snaps.
Ranked eighth in the nation, as his six interceptions for 111 yards in returns placed fourth on the school season-record list.
Deflected 10 passes, as his total of 16 passes defended was good for second in the conference.
Added two pressures and a pair of caused fumbles.
Also carried once for no gain against Wake Forest.
2007:
Named team captain as a junior, earning AII-ACC second-team honors from The NFL Draft Report, as he started all 13 games.
Ranked second on the team and fifth among ACC defensive backs with 97 tackles (73 solos), including three stops for losses while playing at least 44 snaps in every game and his 787 snaps were most among Tiger defenders.
Intercepted four passes - good for seventh in the ACC - deflected six others and also caused one fumble and recovered two others.
Had at least five tackles in every game.
Won the coaches' Defensive Player of The Game award against Georgia Tech and Central Michigan.
Intercepted a two-point conversion pass and returned it over 100 yards for two points at N.C. State, the first defensive score off an opponent's extra point in Tiger history.
Had an interception in three consecutive games (Furman, N.C. State, Georgia Tech).
All over the field against #18 ranked Boston College and Matt Ryan, as he had 10 tackles.
Had 14 tackles in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against #21 Auburn, including 11 first hits, before leaving the game with an injury.
Had six tackles against #19 Florida State.
Had eight stops at Maryland and nine at Duke.
2006:
Started 10 games as a sophomore to register 64 tackles (47 solos) and five stops for losses of 12 yards on 576 plays.
Intercepted two passes for 90 yards in returns and deflected three other throws while also forcing one fumble and recovering two others.
Tied for the team lead in takeaways (four).
Winner of the Ironman Award for the defense.
Missed three games with a broken foot suffered in the fourth quarter at Boston College.
Came back to start at Wake Forest and had three tackles.
Had 10 tackles against South Carolina.
Notched nine tackles, a tackle for loss, and 16-yard interception return against Maryland.
Defensive Player of The Game by the coaches against Florida Atlantic after recording a 74-yard interception return against Florida Atlantic.
Had a team-high 15 tackles in the Music City Bowl against Kentucky.
2005:
Played in 12 games as a redshirt freshman, starting seven, to become the first Tiger freshman to start in the secondary over the course of a season since Justin Miller (2002).
The strong safety posted 55 tackles (30 solos) with a tackle for loss and returned two interceptions for a total of 43 yards while also deflecting three passes.
In his first career start, had eight tackles at N.C. State.
Had an 11-yard interception return against #16 Florida State.
Posted seven tackles against #13 Miami (FL) and helped limit it to 109 passing yards in regulation.
Had two tackles and a team-best two pass breakups in the Champs Sports Bowl against Colorado.
2004:
Redshirted.
PERSONAL:
Attended Lamar, S.C., High School where he was a finalist for Mr. Football in South Carolina.
Named the state's Defensive Player of the Year by High School Sports Report.
Added all-state honors as a junior and senior and was a three-time all-region selection, capturing Region Player of the Year honors in each of his final two campaigns.
Recorded 23 career interceptions, including a team-high four as a senior.
Threw three passes as a senior and two were touchdowns, including one to his brother in the state title game.
Added 20 catches for 290 yards and four scores, and had 148 punt return yards and 179 kickoff return yards.
Earned all-region accolades in both baseball and basketball, as Lamar's baseball squad won the state championship as a junior.
Graduated in May, 2008 with a degree in Management and is presently taking post-graduate courses in Sociology?????.
Brothers, Markee and Marquais played for South Carolina State. The two teams played each other in 2008, marking the first time since 1981 that brothers competed against each other in a Clemson game.
