DaVon Hamilton proves in win vs. Patriots why he's the heart of Jaguars defense

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't care that the New England Patriots had the best defense in the NFL. Their offense wasted no time putting 35 points on the scoreboard. Heck, you could even make the case that the Jags' defense was the one that dominated the day, as Anthony Campanile's unit gave up a measly six points.

One big reason for Jacksonville's successful attempt at stymying the Pats' charge was nose tackle DaVon Hamilton. While the player affectionately known as Ham registered half a sack and five total tackles, his impact went beyond the stat sheet.

Hamilton routinely took on two offensive linemen in the Week 3 win over New England. It didn't matter, the former Ohio State Buckeye wreaked havoc at the line of scrimmage. Heck, the Pats sent three hog mollies to contain him, and it wasn't enough. Understandably, he's getting the spotlight in the aftermath.

DaVon Hamilton remains the heart and soul of the Jaguars defense

Liam Coen says that Davon Hamilton was a force against the Patriots, noting that he caught heat the week prior.

"I thought he might have played last week one of the best games I've ever seen from a nose tackle, personally," Coen told the press corps after the win over New England. "And then this week, to follow it up, the way he played, how selfless he is, but also how difficult he is to game plan for. To be able to, if you want to run at our edges, it's a challenge, right?"

You could make the case that Coen is biased since Hamilton is his player, but the recognition goes beyond the Jaguars' HQ. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports noted on Twitter that Jacksonville hasn't allowed a running back to gain more than 75 yards and attributed the success to Hamilton.

Gus Logue of SB Nation was equally effusive in his praise of the seventh-year nose tackle, noting that he leads the NFL in run stop three weeks into the NFL season.

Hamilton is the only remaining Jacksonville draft pick from the 2020 draft. He was a third-round selection that became a starter at the midpoint of his rookie season. He progressively got more playing time and eventually became an integral piece of the interior defensive line.

Understandably, the team's brass gave the Pickerington, Ohio native a three-year extension worth $34.5 million in 2023. Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury later that year that forced him to miss a good chunk of the regular season. It took Hamilton a bit to get back at full strength, but he's most definitely a key contributor in the interior trenches, which is why Josh Hines-Allen called him the heart of the defense.

Related: AFC South Week 4 Power Rankings: Does anyone want to challenge the Jags?

DaVon Hamilton is thriving for the Jaguars at the best possible time

It's worth noting that DaVon Hamilton is set to become a free agent in 2027, so his stock couldn't be surging at a better time. He'll be 30 next year, but he's stayed as healthy as he can, so there could be high demand for him if he's available.

Although the Jags may have Hamilton's replacement in rookie Albert Regis, the team's brass may strongly consider re-siging him. After all, his potential departure would leave a massive void on the interior defensive line.

Having said that, free agency is still several months away, and the Jaguars will cross that bridge in due time. For the time being, they'll need Davon Hamilton to keep creating disruption the remainder of the season.

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