Penn State has been sending receivers to the NFL like clockwork for several years now. One of the players to get sent in recent times is K.J. Hamler.
Hamler was selected in the second round by the Denver Broncos in the 2020 NFL draft. After a breakout junior season and a draft process that was interrupted by COVID-19, Hamler still found himself in a good spot. The Broncos had a deep and talented receiver room when he arrived, including former Nittany Lion Daesean Hamilton. As a rookie, he saw a limited role but was set for a breakout second season in the league.
In week three, however, he tore his ACL for the second time in his football career. After a year of rehab, he is now set for the breakout campaign he was destined for.
Hamler discussed the other day at Broncos camp how he has overcome not just physical issues but mental ones as well. He talked about being in a very “dark place” after the injury. Despite all that he says he found his way out of it.
“God gave me the strength to get out of this hole…He knew I was strong enough to get through it,” Hamler said this week as he returned to Brocnos training camp. “I didn’t feel like I was at the time… I’m proud of myself, and I know my grandmother is proud.”
The Denver Broncos receiving room is still crowded but Hamler is working his way up the depth chart now and has a good quarterback behind him. The Broncos notably updated the quarterback position by acquiring star passer Russell Wilson. Follow that up with his teammate Tim Patrick who was competing him for a spot on the depth chart going down and now Hamler sits for his breakout to happen.
Winning a spot by injury is never how you want to get things but in the NFL it is next man up. For Russell Wilson, he loves to include all his receivers who have snaps in the passing attack. Hamler has a skillset that no one else on the team does and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett can use that to gameplan around him.
No matter what, Hamler making his way back is going to be a win for him and the Broncos. Going back to his Penn State days, he has always put others first. Now it seems he has put himself first and he is finally in a good place and ready to succeed.
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