Trainer’s Take: Michigan DL commit Ted Hammond continuing to grow mentally and physically
Three-star Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier defensive lineman Ted Hammond committed to Michigan in January and has since furthered his development this offseason with local trainer Nick Staderman of Black Sheep Performance.
One of five projected defensive linemen pledged to the Wolverines this cycle, Hammond’s big focal point right now is mastering the technique of multiple positions on the line of scrimmage.
“Just getting Ted to understand how to play any position on the defensive line,” Staderman told The Wolverine. “I know after working with him a couple of weeks into the offseason, he mentioned that he’ll play a little of nose and end this season for the high school level. Last year, (St. Xavier) played a little bit out of their traditional 3-3-5 set. So getting him to understand how to play both the head-up and outside techniques as the edge and nose. Not only the physical aspects and what his keys are at that moment, but also the mental part and what to expect when playing as an interior or an edge guy.”
Hammond is coming off a junior campaign in which he compiled 41 total tackles and 4.5 sacks for St. Xavier, which plays in one of the most demanding high school football conferences in the Midwest. Once the No. 33 ranked pass rusher nationally, per On3, begins his career at Michigan, it’ll be a matter of obtaining more flexibility and trusting his speed moves when facing next-level competition.
Ted is already a big kid, so the physical traits that he’s been gifted with will let him beat a majority of the kids he goes up against,” Staderman said. “But when going up some of those big schools, we’re making sure that his production doesn’t fall off and he’s still able to work various rushes. We’re making sure that he’s an all-around defensive lineman and when he goes off to college, he can compete and be ready to play on day one.”
Achieving that versatility to where Hammond can play interior or on the outside will help improve his stock as a true freshman for the Wolverines.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Staderman said. “Some kids will play six positions, which might ultimately hurt them. But in this situation, Ted is still in the same family of the defensive line room. Being able to show that he can play both interior and outside is going to be huge. That’s also going to be huge for him when he gets to the next level because you never know where you might end up. You could start as an edge guy, put on 60 pounds, and be strictly a nose guard. So that’s going to help out mentally for Ted early on.”
Staderman has been working with Hammond since the midway point of the latter’s sophomore season. Staderman, who played college football at Cincinnati, has seen the transformation of Hammond’s mental approach grow significantly in that period.
“Committing to his move and his confidence when going into drills,” Staderman said. “We’ve been working together for a while now and he knows a good amount of drills that he’ll see with me. Mentally ready to come into the session and knowing what we’re going to work on. Then, being able to apply that physically has been huge for him. Growing mentally in the game of football and his I.Q. has gone through the roof. We’ve been watching a lot of film. I’ve also sprinkled him in with a couple of my college and pro guys so it’s been pretty good. He’s seeing every level of football and it’s elevated his confidence.”
Some of Staderman’s other clients are a defensive tackle who plays for the Tennessee Titans, an XFL edge rusher and multiple Division I linemen. Having Hammond work with older and more experienced players has given him an idea of what to expect in college.
“Initially, it was like a deer in the headlights look,” Staderman said. “But now, he belongs in that group. Those are the type of guys who he’s going to be working with the next three-to-five years. Trying to get him used to that and see what the competition is going to be like. Not having him be comfortable by just being a good player in high school.”
Hammond also played baseball at St. Xavier but chose to focus solely on football training in the winter, spring and summer.
“We’re ready for Ted to put his hand in the dirt week one and go play,” Staderman said. “It’s been a grind this offseason. He took away some time from some other sports that he played in years past, which was a big step for him. He loves being a multi-sport kid like everyone else. But he’s really locked it in this offseason and working toward his goals. Attacking the now is something that I’ve always been impressed about him. He’s a hard-working kid. Him being himself is going to be the best thing moving forward.”
Staderman said that Hammond’s weight is around 280 pounds heading into August which means he’s added 15 pounds from his On3 verified weight. Depending on how Michigan’s coaching staff wants to mold Hammond, positional projects on the defensive line for the No. 14 ranked player in the state of Ohio are limitless.
“Honestly, Ted holds his frame very easily, so once he gets on Michigan’s campus and they see that he can hold another 10 to 15 pounds, whether he wants to be a 300-pound guy or not, his body can definitely hold it,” Staderman said. “So I would say more of a nose or d-tackle. He could also get snaps as a boundary end. He’s athletic enough to do that. He’s not a 4.4-blazing speed guy but you don’t have to be a sprinter to be fast on the football field. Ted’s I.Q. is going to make him a faster football player.”
Hammond is also the No. 399 overall prospect in the country, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four primary recruiting media services.
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