Hampton Makes Character Turnaround

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — As he prepares for the 2014 NFL Draft, former South Carolina cornerback Victor Hampton says he’s overcome a troubled past and has made a turn for the better. “I think everybody goes through a time where they’ve made mistakes and want to change for the better,” said Hampton. Hampton switched high schools four times, was arrested for underage drinking and was temporarily suspended from the South Carolina football team as a freshman for breaking team rules. “I’ve had a chance to fix my problems while at USC. I recognized my mistakes and I fixed them. I feel like I’m a great guy to be around and when people question what kind of guy I am, it does hurt sometimes,” Hampton said. Hampton has worked hard to make a transformation and has won the everyday attitude award the past two years at South Carolina. He hopes NFL teams will not overlook him because of his past and expects to be picked up in the second or third round of the upcoming draft. “Coach Spurrier has been backing me and my other coaches have been backing me and just saying (telling NFL scouts) where I’ve come from and the things I used to do, and how I don’t do them now. So I have been grateful for them for having my back since I’ve been out of college,” said Hampton. Hampton logged 51 tackles, including 43 solo stops as a junior.