Kansas football top 25 difference-makers countdown: No. 25, Quan Hampton

By Staff     Jul 31, 2017

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Texarkana, Texas, receiver Quan Hampton signs with Kansas football, on Feb. 1, 2017.

*Benton Smith and I collaborated on a list of 25 potential difference-makers for the Kansas football team in 2017 and will release one each weekday leading up to the season-opener vs. SEMO at Memorial Stadium. We will list them in reverse order of how indispensable/potentially impactful they are for KU’s hopes of having a more competitive season.*

**25 – Quan Hampton, inside receiver/return man:**

At 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, he’s the shortest and (tied with freshman kicker Liam Jones) lightest player on the roster. He also just might be the favorite to win a team slam-dunk competition. (Don’t worry, there is no such event scheduled.) An all-district basketball player and district MVP in football, Hampton comes to Kansas from Texas High in Texarkana, Texas, after decommitting from Texas State.

Kansas head coach David Beaty’s adrenaline always flows at high speed on signing day and it was maxed out talking about Hampton.

“We found out about Quan from all of the opposing coaches from around the area,” Beaty said. “That’s how you know when you’ve found a dude is when everywhere you go, guys are telling you, ‘Hey, have you seen that Quan Hampton kid here at Texarkana?’ And I’m talking about every place we go. I’m talking about Sulphur Springs. I’m talking about Longview. I’m talking about every one of those places we go to they’re saying, ‘Man, what is going on?'”

While showing a highlight, Beaty said, “Watch the quickness and suddenness of this guy off of the ball.”

Beaty said he reminded him of TCU’s KaVontae Turpin (team-leading 123.2 all-purpose yards per game as true freshman), “but this guy’s got a little bit more weight on him than that kid does. And he can flat run.”

Hampton will have an opportunity to make it onto the field as a return man and inside receiver. He averaged 12 yards per punt return for Texarkana High as as a senior and set single-season school records for receptions (71) and receiving yards (1,224). He caught 10 TD passes.

Hampton’s potential softens the blow of losing LaQuvionte Gonzalez, dismissed from the team over the weekend.

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50870Kansas football top 25 difference-makers countdown: No. 25, Quan Hampton