Aaron Hampton
Already the best wide receiver in the state, West High’s Aaron Hampton proved he’s also quite the running back after rushing for 140 yards in the state title game.
With playmaker written all over him, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder was also a lethal linebacker and usually the best athlete on the field.
He picked up some hardware in October after helping West win a state title and on Tuesday he picked up some more after being named MaxPreps Alaska Player of the Year.
Hampton piled up 612 receiving yards and six touchdowns to go with 143 rushing yards and two TDs in 10 games. He averaged 13.2 yards per touch and added a pair of defensive TDs.
The all-state senior will head to the University of California Berkeley next fall, armed with one of the two major player-of-the-year awards. The Gatorade honor has yet to be announced.
Hampton also shined at outside linebacker, the position he is expected to play in college. Forty-four of his 48 tackles as a senior were solo stops. He had 56 tackles as a junior.
Congrats to West Anchorage's Aaron Hampton on being named the 2023 MaxPreps Alaska Player of the Year.@Aaron_Hampton10 | @CalFootball
✍️: https://t.co/oiwiPd0rXR pic.twitter.com/TVsuxWUd4s
— Zack Poff (@Zack_Poff_MP) December 19, 2023
In Alaska, he was best known as an elite receiver. He had season highs of 10 catches and 109 yards against South and had 108 yards against Service and 107 yards against Colony. He hauled in TDs in five straight games.
In the state title game, Hampton scored on offense and defense to highlight a 34-21 win over South in the ASAA First National Bowl on Oct. 22. In that game he moved from receiver to running back and rushed for a career-high 140 yards.
He had 109 yards in the third quarter alone, keyed by a 48-yard TD run. His rushing attack also set up two more scores as the Eagles created separation.
Hampton shined at receiver over his career with 84 receptions for 1,275 yards and 14 TDs in 25 games. He had 40 catches as a senior and 36 as a junior.
The Alaskan will join a Cal program that in 2024 will go from the Pac-12 Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
West’s Aaron Hampton with a rushing TD against Colony in the season opener. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report