Wolverine lineman Hamilton takes size to Mississippi Delta
It was often a sight to see on Friday nights when East Webster came on to the football field and massive defensive tackle Rashad Hamilton towered over the line of scrimmage.
It was evident early in Hamilton's career that he had a future in the game. He picked up some early interest from colleges during his junior season when he became a key piece of the Wolverine defensive group and this past season, Hamilton became a member of the All-district Class 2A, Region 2 first team. His 29 tackles and two tackles for loss might not jump off the page, but clogging up the middle of the offensive line was his job and he did it well.
It all led to more and more interest from college programs as it saw the potential in his 6-6 frame. He earned offers from Hinds Community College, Northeast Community College and Mississippi Delta as well as some interest from Alcorn State before signing with the Trojans of Mississippi Delta Community College on Wednesday.
“I've seen so much improvement from Rashad over the last couple of years," East Webster head coach Ron Price said. "He really came along and was a big part of our defense and that was the strong point of our football team this year. He handled the recruiting process so well. He had a lot of offers and coaches coming after him and I was very impressed with how he handled the situation. Delta is getting a quality young man and I can't wait to see how much he improves over the next two years.”
Nationally-ranked Hinds wanted Hamilton so badly that it was still recruiting the talented defensive lineman up until Tuesday night before it got the message he was set on being a Trojan.
Mississippi Delta Community College has struggled on the gridiron in year's past but is coming off of its most competitive season in recent memory, including a stretch of three-straight wins over Coahoma, Northeast and Itawamba. The coaching staff was something that really stood out to Hamilton and their commitment to making sure he gets the opportunities he wants as a player.
“I prayed about it first so I felt like that's where God was leading me," Hamilton said. "The coaches there … I felt like I actually connected with them,” Hamilton said. “The main reason I chose them is that they were telling me that I would play on the defensive line while most colleges told me I would be best fitted as an offensive lineman. I'm the type of person that wants to prove people wrong.”
Hamilton just wanted that one chance to prove naysayers wrong and he's getting that at Delta next season. The potential is there and he's thankful for the God-given ability and the development that he's gotten from the Wolverines over the years.
Now, he's just excited and ready to get to work.
“It's an amazing feeling,” Hamilton said of his opportunity on the next level. “I started off playing football and not knowing anything about it so being able to learn how to play and get a chance to do it on the next level is a huge accomplishment for me.”