Dan Quinn Fulfilled Dominique Hampton’s ‘Perfect Fit’ Wish as Safety Reveals How Commanders “Came From Left Field”

The Washington Commanders drafted nine players in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of those players is the rookie safety Dominique Hampton. Driven by a competitive nature, Hampton saw the Commanders as a prized possession. On top of that, Dan Quinn’s defense called out to the young professional. Hence getting drafted to the Commanders was “elating,” yet still surprising for Hampton.

The Safety from Washington Huskies had 108 total tackles in his last year with the team, so Quinn taking him was a no-brainer. Now, he’s learning to play two positions and couldn’t be more thankful for his luck. The Safety appeared in the latest episode of the Washington Commanders podcast and had a few things to say about how he got to this commanding point.

Dominique Hampton is living a ‘dream come true’

When Hampton was drafted, he briefly mentioned that the Washington Commanders were his “dream fit,” and that he always wanted to be a part of it. His college career was spent with the Washington Huskies, the safety has relatives on the East Coast. Thus, it made more sense for him to stay true to his roots. But most importantly, Hampton revealed that he is a huge fan of Dan Quinn’s defense.

“I’ve been watching Dan Quinn’s defense and how he runs it and I was watching him when he was with the team before this,” said Hampton and added, “I just feel like I fit exactly what you know, my position says because I’m going to glove up tight ends, I’m going to be physical in the run game, I’m going to be over the top on defense so I just feel like the fit was so perfect.”

If that wasn’t enough, Hampton had informed his mother that the Commanders were the “exact fit” for him. As he mentioned to the host, getting the post in the squad was a “dream come true.” No matter how big and clear the dream was, it still left the young safety hear-pounding when he did land in the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders were not the only team interested in him, but ultimately, it was always burgundy and gold he had wanted to put on.“They came from left field, to be honest. I didn’t really know. A couple of different teams were calling like, ‘Make sure you keep your phone on you, we’re going to get you today’,” said the safety and added, “I ended up falling into the perfect fit.”

While young Hampton did get his dream destination, there is no doubt that Commanders received one of the best safeties in the league as the college stats speak for themselves. His peers Tyler Owens, Jeremy Chinn, and Jeremy Reaves don’t come close to Hampton’s college stats where he had 64 solo tackles and 44 assisted tackles. Another feather added to his hat is that this energetic professional is a double-edged sword, learning to play more than one position.

Dominique Hampton going the extra mile to arm the Washington Defense

The rookie mentioned that apart from Safety, he’s also learning to play as a DB under Dan Quinn’s coaching. Though Quinn is a head coach, his 3 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive coach are unprecedented. Last year, the Cowboys were a tough bunch to get past. Now Hampton can learn the same schemes. A thing to note is that Hampton also played Cornerback in Washington as well.

“Dom is very good in run support,”  Roman Tomashoff, the managing editor for UWHuskiesWire.com said. “His frame and physicality led to him being lined up in the box a lot and he was even asked to line up as an extra linebacker. He shoots gaps well and while he needs to improve on his angles at times, he has become an effective run defender.”

He mentioned how he is “Just getting on that field any way I can,” he said. “Special teams, defense, just making sure I can get my name out there.” Right now, he’s working on his speed and physicality in the OTAs. Playing Safety, Cornerback, and Defensive Back will become Hampton’s strong suit because he can play in the corner, play in the slot, and most importantly he is blazing fast. He did a 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, which impressed a lot of scouts.

Hampton is a one-size-fits-all kind of player and other teams wouldn’t know what to expect from him just because he’s so versatile. It has opened up new avenues for Dan Quinn who can utilize him in the backfield and also in the corner, not to mention how Hampton can also rough up the tight ends. He also gets a lot of recognition for his field of vision, pressuring the QBs, his agile footwork, and his understanding of the game in general. Considering his size, athleticism, and college career, there is a high chance that he might find himself as a Commanders’ starter soon.