With the No. 148 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected former Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Ty Hamilton.
A fifth-year senior, Hamilton recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks in 2024, helping the Buckeyes win a national championship. He also had 51 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 1 recovery.
Hamilton is ready to showcase his wares at the next level.
“Rams nation just know you got a dawg!!!” Hamilton said in a post on X on April 25 after hearing his name called.
Per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams defensive line coach and run game coordinator Giff Smith “celebrated” as Hamilton came off the board.
“Ty Hamilton had a third-round grade from our Dane Brugler, after adding weight from a pass-rushing role to slide into nose tackle,” Rodrigue posted on X on April 26. “Rams brought in Poona Ford in FA to start but still wanted to keep adding depth along their front to clean things up for second and third levels.”
Per Spotrac, Hamilton will receive a contract worth $4.6 million due to his draft slot.
What the Experts Say About Rams DT Ty Hamilton
GettyTy Hamilton #58 of the Ohio State Buckeyes pressures Cameron Rising #7 of the Utah Utes.
Evaluations of Hamilton’s game describe a potential force in the run game who will need work as an interior pass rusher despite being sub-300 pounds.
ESPN’s Steve Muench noted Hamilton has “outstanding upper-body strength.”
“Hamilton gets under blockers, latching onto their chest plates with his big hands before locking out. He pushes centers into the backfield and tracks the ball well enough before disengaging to make a play. Despite being on the lighter side, Hamilton is tough and can beat double-teams. Hamilton is a strong bull rusher who pushes the pocket and can get off blocks at the top of his rush,” Muench wrote in the Rams DL’s draft profile.
“He’s a better run defender, but he has the traits to improve on pass rushing. Hamilton has outstanding upper-body strength, as he benched 35 reps of 225 pounds at Ohio State’s pro day. That’s two more reps than anyone at the combine, regardless of position.”
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm led with the pass-rushing deficiency but agreed there is upside to Hamilton.
Edholm said Hamilton has a “high floor” and “strong approach.”
“With a lack of pass-rush talent, Hamilton will need to overcome his smaller frame inside as a competitive disruptor,” Edholm wrote on April 26. “He has a high floor and a strong approach to the game as a Steady Eddie type.”
Hamilton joins a Rams D-line featuring defensive ends Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner, who posted 8.5 and 8.0 sacks in 2024.
Rams Make it a Family Affair
GettyDaVon Hamilton #52 of the Jacksonville Jaguars takes the field against the New York Giants.
Hamilton is in the league and the Rams on merit. But he does join his brother, Jacksonville Jaguars DL DaVon Hamilton, in the NFL.
The Jaguars’ Hamilton is bigger, listed on his team’s website at 335 pounds, while his brother checked in at 299 pounds at the scouting combine. That is four pounds heavier than he is listed on the Buckeyes’ site and nine pounds heavier than Sports Reference lists.
Hamilton had the eighth-most defensive stops in the country among IDL last season (28).
The brothers can already make dinner plans and begin their trash talk.
Ty and the Rams will face DaVon and the Jaguars in Jacksonville during the 2025 season. The week will be revealed when the full schedule is released on May 14.
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