K. J. Hamler

Kahlee Jacoby Hamler (born July 8, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State.

K. J. Hamler
refer to caption
Hamler playing for Penn State in 2019
No. 1 – Denver Broncos
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1999-07-08) July 8, 1999
Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school:St. Mary's Preparatory
(Orchard Lake Village, Michigan)
College:Penn State (2017–2019)
NFL Draft:2020 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
  • Second-team All Big Ten (2019)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2022
Receptions:42
Receiving yards:620
Receiving touchdowns:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years

Hamler moved from his hometown, Pontiac, Michigan, to Florida to play his final year of high school football as a senior at IMG Academy.[1] Before his first career game at IMG Academy, he tore his ACL.[2] Prior to transferring to IMG Academy, Hamler was a two year letterman at St. Mary's Preparatory School in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He was rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and Scout and a three star prospect by 247Sports. He also ran track for two seasons.

College career

Freshman year

Hamler redshirted as a freshman at Penn State due to suffering a torn ACL the previous year.[2]

Redshirt freshman year

In the first game of his collegiate career against Appalachian State, Hamler returned a kickoff 52 yards with less than two minutes on the clock to help spark Penn State's game-tying drive. He capped the drive off with a 15-yard touchdown reception with under a minute remaining, ending the game with 3 catches for 67 yards and a TD.[3] Against Ohio State, Hamler was awarded Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after recording four receptions for 138 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown. Through five games, Hamler recorded 13 receptions for 308 yards and four touchdowns in his first season as a collegiate athlete.[4]

Redshirt sophomore year

In the 2019 season, Hamler recorded 56 receptions for 904 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.[5]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanBench pressWonderlic
5 ft 8+5⁄8 in
(1.74 m)		 178 lb
(81 kg)		 30+3⁄4 in
(0.78 m)		 9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		15 reps15
All values from NFL Combine[6][7][8]

Hamler was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 46th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.[9]

2020 season

In Week 2, Hamler made his NFL debut and recorded three receptions for 48 receiving yards in a 26–21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.[10] In Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Hamler recorded his first career touchdown catch with no time remaining on the clock to help the Broncos win the game 31–30.[11] In Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers, Hamler recorded two receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns during the 32–27 victory.[12] On January 2, 2021, Hamler was placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.[13] He finished his rookie season with 30 catches for 381 yards and three touchdowns.[13]

2021 season

Trying to shake off the hamstring issues that plagued his rookie season, Hamler began training camp of his sophomore season in a crowded receiving corps.[14][15] He shone early in preseason, catching a touchdown from Drew Lock during the Broncos' first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.[16] He suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on September 28, 2021.[17]

2022 season

On December 3, 2022, Hamler was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.[18]

2023 season

On March 23, 2023, Hamler was ruled out for 4-6 months after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn pectoral muscle he suffered while training on his own.[19]

References
  1. Dellenger, Ross (February 20, 2016). "One-stop shop IMG Academy, rapidly becoming college football recruiting mecca, unlike any other high school in world". theadvocate.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. Murphy, Dan (September 28, 2018). "Meet the offensive stars leading Penn State in the post-Saquon era". espn.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  3. Bodani, Frank (September 2, 2018). "Penn State finds a hero and more in fast-talking, big-play K.J. Hamler". Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  4. Slanina, Jared (October 1, 2018). "KJ Hamler Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week". Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  5. "KJ Hamler 2019 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  6. "KJ Hamler Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  7. "2020 Draft Scout KJ Hamler, Penn State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  8. "Broncos select KJ Hamler with No. 46 overall pick in Round 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  9. Gantt, Darin (April 24, 2020). "Broncos double up at receiver, take K.J. Hamler 46th". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  10. "Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers - September 20th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  11. "Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos - November 1st, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  12. "Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers - December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  13. DiLalla, Aric (January 2, 2021). "Broncos promote Josh Watson to active roster, place KJ Hamler on IR". DenverBroncos.com. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  14. "Broncos receiver KJ Hamler looks to add (More) sizzle in second year: "I can be a big playmaker"". July 30, 2021.
  15. "What must K.J. Hamler do to separate himself in a loaded Broncos wide receiver room? -". June 23, 2021.
  16. "Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings 2021 PRE 1 - Game Center".
  17. DiLalla, Aric (September 28, 2021). "Broncos sign WR David Moore off Raiders' practice squad, promote QB Brett Rypien to active roster". DenverBroncos.com.
  18. DiLalla, Aric (December 3, 2022). "Broncos activate RB Mike Boone from IR, place WR KJ Hamler on IR". DenverBroncos.com.
  19. "Broncos WR KJ Hamler out 4-6 months after pec surgery". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
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