The Denver Broncos selected Penn State wide receiver K.J. Hamler in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 46th overall pick on Friday evening.
The pick was a bit surprising after Denver selected Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in the first round of the draft on Thursday. The Broncos also picked Hamler over Denzel Mims, who is falling farther than many pundits expected.
Hamler (5-9, 178 pounds) bench-pressed 225 pounds 15 times at the combine earlier this offseason. He did not run a 40-yard dash at the combine but he is a speedy receiver and returner.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Hamler to Tavon Austin, a dynamic returner and slot receiver.
“He’s a smallish slot who isn’t built for the tough yardage and could have durability concerns if he’s run into too many collisions,” Zierlein wrote of Hamler on NFL.com. “However, speed kills and his game-breaking potential on all three levels will be enticing as a high-risk, high-reward draft pick.”
During his final two seasons at Penn State, Hamler totaled 1,658 receiving yards, 1,036 kick return yards and 14 touchdowns.
