Hammett commits to Rice All-State linebacker makes early decision
When considering a college to attend, Nic Hammett looked beyond the playing field and compared each school as a learning institution.
Because of that, Hammett has given a verbal commitment to play football at Rice University.
“He liked the fact that the athletes are mixed in with everyone else,” said Hammett’s mother, Pam. “He knows he might not play in the NFL, so he thought that a degree from Rice would probably be a good thing.”
“He’ll get one of the best educations in America,” said Rockdale football coach Jeff Miller, himself a Houston native. “He liked the academic situation with the small classes and he’ll be taught by the greatest professors in the world.
“He glows every time he talks about it. Rice is a tremendous school with a tremendous history. He’ll be getting a $250,000 education.”
He becomes Rockdale’s first Division I signee since Stryker Sulak went to Missouri in 2004.
Hammett cannot officially sign until the first week in February on national signing day.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior-to-be was just recently named a pre-season first-team all-state selection by Texas Football.
Hammett was an honorable mention all-state pick at the end of the 2007 season after leading the Tigers with 88 tackles and six sacks.
Hammett possesses the tangibles that coaches crave: size and speed. He runs a 4.6, 40-yard dash, which is exceptional for a lineman/linebacker and equal to what a lot of receivers clock in at.
Under first-year coach David Bailiff, who was previously at Texas State, the Owls sagged to 3-9 last season and into fourth place in the West Division of Conference USA.
As far as linebacking is concerned, the Owls’ top four linebackers listed in the depth chart are juniors and seniors, so they will be looking for someone to fill in the gaps in a hurry.
There is also the possibility that Hammett could play defensive end in college or even tight end.
He is a two-way starter for the Tigers.
Rice is of course, an academic institution of the highest standards, so Hammett will fit right in, possessing a 3.2 grade point average and he is ranked 21st in his 105-member graduating class of 2009.
Hammett has received interest from many of the top football schools in the country and received a solid offer from Stanford.
Hammett has been listed as a prospect on several school’s websites, including Alabama.
He also attended camps at Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Kansas St., Kansas and Texas A&M.
“It wouldn’t have surprised me if all of them would have offered him something,” Miller said. “He is a Division I caliber athlete. But he found a place he liked and was comfortable with. He did the smart thing.
“He doesn’t realize how fortunate he is.”
Hammett is Miller’s first Division I signee as a head coach.
“This makes you realize how special it is to get an offer,” said Miller, who played football at Nebraska.
Hammett, who is also a standout in baseball, is currently playing with the Cedar Park Vista Ridge baseball team in a tournament in Atlanta.
Part of the reason he chose Rice is the opportunity to possibly play baseball for the Owls, who have one of the top programs in the country under Wayne Graham.
The Owls’ Michael Fuda plays both football and baseball.
Rockdale has a long history of sending athletes to Rice, beginning with T.A. Weems in the 40s, Odis Mack in the 70s and most recently Travis Ortega, who graduated from Rice in 2001.
Also, Hammett’s mother Pam attended high school with Lexington and Rice standout Earl Cooper, who went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers.
