INDIANAPOLIS — For eight seasons, Ken Hamlin made his mark in the National Football League as a hard-hitting, playmaking safety.
In September, his alma mater will recognize him for his efforts.
Hamlin, whose NFL career wrapped up in 2010 with the Indianapolis Colts, was recently listed among nine former University of Arkansas student-athletes who will be inducted into the school's Sports of Honor.
The Class of 2017 will be inducted the weekend of Sept. 7-9.
Hamlin established himself as a tackling machine while playing for the Razorbacks from 2000 through 2002, when, in just three seasons he set the school records for stops with 381. In his junior season — his final year at the school — he was named first-team All-SEC and a first-team All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com after posting 159 tackles, the second-most in a season in school history. Hamlin also had nine interceptions and led Arkansas to three bowl games during his time at the school.
He was selected in the second round (42nd overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, and he immediately made an impact, starting 14 of 16 games his first season and being named to Pro Football Weekly's All-Rookie Team after finishing with 96 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception, one fumble recovery and eight passes defensed.
Hamlin would play four seasons with the Seahawks before signing with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent in 2007, when he would have his best season in the NFL. He started all 16 games and logged 102 tackles, five interceptions and 15 passes defensed, and was not only named to his first, and only, Pro Bowl, but earned a starting position in the game.
After three seasons in Dallas, Hamlin signed with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2010 offseason, and would end up playing in seven games that season with the team, recording an interception and a fumble recovery each.
After being released in late November, however, the Colts came calling a couple weeks later, signing the veteran safety to join the team late in the regular season and for a playoff run. He played in Indy's final two regular season games, and logged three tackles in the team's postseason game against the New York Jets in what would be the final game of his career.
In all, Hamlin played in 107 games with 96 starts in the NFL, logging 489 tackles, 15 interceptions, 50 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries.
He is joined in this year's Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor class by fellow football players Madre Hill, Louis Campbell and Bo Busby.
The Colts currently have one Arkansas product on their roster — second-year cornerback Tevin Mitchel. The franchise has selected 12 Razorbacks in the NFL Draft since 1950:
• 1950: Leon "Muscles" Campbell, FB (second round; 15th overall)
• 1950: Bill Bass, B (ninth round; 106th overall)
• 1950: Geno Mazzanti, HB (26th round; 327th overall)
• 1953: John Cole, B (10th round; 110th overall)
• 1953: Buddy Sutton, B (15th round; 170th overall)
• 1957: Ronnie Underwood, B (fifth round; 54th overall)
• 1971: Bill Burnett, RB (ninth round; 234th overall)
• 1974: Danny Rhodes, LB (sixth round; 140th overall)
• 1976: Mike Kirkland, QB (fifth round; 143rd overall)
• 1981: Trent Bryant, DB (10th round; 259th overall)
• 1999: Brandon Burlsworth, G (third round; 63rd overall)
• 2007: Tony Ugoh, T (second round; 42nd overall)
Perhaps the most notable of all Arkansas-Colts draftees is Ugoh, who played in 37 games with 27 starts with Indianapolis from 2007 through 2009. He was a reserve on the Colts' 2009 squad that advanced to Super Bowl XLIV against the New Orleans Saints.
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