Morgan State wide receiver Daymond “DJ” Hamler not only hopes to have a breakout 2023 season, he expects it.
The junior wideout is heading into his third season at Morgan State following a 2022 campaign in which he compiled 25 receptions for 256 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Hamler will be tasked with helping the Bears improve from last year’s 4-7 showing. Morgan begins its season on the road against Richmond on Sept. 2 and will play its first home game on Sept. 16 against local rival Towson.
At 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, Hamler isn’t blessed with the size that many players have. Football, on the other hand, is absolutely in his blood. Hamler’s cousin, KJ, recently played for Penn State and the Denver Broncos. Hamler watched KJ in the NFL from afar, but he had already taken in knowledge from him at the youth level years ago.
The cousins played recreational football together with the Pontiac Panthers in their native Michigan. DJ Hamler was younger and smaller than the rest of his teammates, including his big cousin. But what Hamler lacked in size, he made up for in the desire to succeed against stiff competition.
As such, the younger Hamler cousin learned the ropes and understood that he could play with the big dogs.
“I really had to man up to play against them,” Hamler said. “They always tried to bully me and that shaped me to be tough in football because being with someone older than you, you’ve really got to tighten up. You don’t want to always be the one getting thrown around, so they made me tougher and made me work hard.
“If I’m competing with someone three to four years older than me, it’s going to be less of a challenge going against someone my age.”
Damon Wilson became Morgan State’s head coach in June 2022 after serving in the same role at his alma mater Bowie State since 2009. Wilson immediately saw Hamler as he was — an undersized, yet quick, wide receiver who brings “top-tier athleticism” to the table.
Hamler displayed his football knowledge early on in Wilson’s tenure as head coach with the Bears. He has the ability to line up out wide as well as jump into the slot. The receiver studies relentlessly. He has become “a guy to be counted on,” according to the coach.
“All of his prior experience plays a factor in where he is today,” Wilson said. “When you’re learning a new playbook and a new system, you’ve got to do some things on your own. He’s spent the necessary time to get to where he is today, as far as his study habits and putting it all together. I’m looking forward to an exciting season from him.”
Hamler believes that his toughness comes from growing up near Detroit. Hamler sees similarities between Baltimore and Detroit, including being “food cities” and entrenched in the rap music scene.
That’s where former Morgan State and Dunbar running back Alfonzo Graham came in. Hamler and Graham constantly worked out, ate, listened to music and went over film together this offseason. Graham, who spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers this summer before being placed on injured reserve, took Hamler under his wing.
“He put me on to YG Teck,” Hamler said, referring to the Baltimore rapper. “He’s got an album with a Detroit artist [Peezy]. So, they’ve got a relationship. I put him on to one of my favorite rappers — Veeze. It’s a little different to [Graham], but he likes him. Our cultures kind of combined with YG Teck and Peezy from Detroit. It was basically hand in hand.”
Hamler has attempted to entrench himself further in the Baltimore culture beyond music. According to Wilson, Hamler has linked up with his Morgan State teammates for youth outreach in Northeast Baltimore..
“DJ is a big community guy,” Wilson said. “We’ve had a couple of community service projects and DJ has always wanted to be around and participate in those. Alfonzo Graham, being a Baltimore guy born and raised, he was able to shed some light on Baltimore City as a whole to DJ and the rest of the guys. I think that helped form their relationship, but at the same time, gave DJ a sense of pride not only for the university, but the city of Baltimore.”
It’s not lost on Hamler that he attends a historically Black university in the heart of Baltimore, where Black culture makes up so much of the fabric of the city.
“Being around my people and playing sports for my people [is important],” Hamler said. “Growing up, you would want to go to a big school, but it’s more than that. You get to play with a majority of people that are your color and build a brotherhood. In Baltimore, they show a lot of love to their schools like Morgan and Coppin. You feel the love while playing the sport that shares your culture.”
Photo Credit: Chris Thompkins