Meet A.J. Hampton
NFL players’ sons and coaches’ sons often turn out to be good players in their own right. New Northwestern 2018 cornerback signee A.J. Hampton is both.
A.J.’s father, Alonzo Hampton, is a former defensive back who played in college at Pittsburgh and for two years in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings. He is now the defensive backs coach at Florida State.
Alonzo is also the primary reason that A.J. signed with Northwestern on Wednesday. If Alonzo had been able to attend his signing ceremony, A.J. would have signed with Toledo in December, during the early signing period. Instead, Alonzo, who was on Willie Taggart’s staff at Oregon last season, was in Eugene, Ore., waiting to learn his fate after Taggart took the Florida State job.
Taggart eventually hired Alonzo, but not until January, and by then Northwestern was hot on A.J.’s trail. He took his official visit the last weekend in January and then decommitted from Toledo and committed to NU just last Friday to become the last addition the class.
Get to know more about the Tampa (Fla.) Wharton standout, who might one day follow in his father’s footsteps.
What does signing day mean to you? National Signing day means the start of a new chapter it means that my hard work payed off but it’s only just getting started.
No. 1 reason you chose Northwestern: Northwestern will provide an Ivy League education and the opportunity to play in a Power Five conference.
Three words that describe you: Intelligent, ambitious, confident
Potential major: Mechanical engineering
Career goal (after a long NFL career, of course): Probably coaching, like my father, or something with engineering.
Favorite music: Rap/hip hop or, preferably, anything good.
Role model as a player: My father, Patrick Peterson and Jalen Ramsey.
Highlight of your high school career: Being able to play both offense and defense and being a playmaker on both sides of the ball.
When I’m not playing football, I’m usually... Playing video games or hanging with friends.
One unique thing about you that very few people know: My incredible personality and my unique attitude. (We like our cornerbacks to be confident.)