Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton enjoyed a breakout freshman campaign in 2024, earning Freshman All-America honors.

Hampton burst onto the scene during his first season with the Tigers. He appeared in all 14 games and started four of them, recording 30 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

It’s safe to say Clemson cornerbacks coach Mike Reed was impressed by Hampton’s freshman season, especially the fact he was able to come in and transition to the college game so quickly after not enrolling until last summer.

Reed also took notice of how Hampton didn’t hit the proverbial freshman wall, like so many other freshmen do.  

“He was a kid that wasn’t a midyear [enrollee]. He came in, in June, and continually got better and better and better,” Reed said during Clemson Football’s Media Outing last week. “He cracked the lineup and was very consistent from a mental aspect. A lot of kids, that freshman year, they hit the wall. And he was kid that really didn’t hit the wall. He just kept progressing, which was good.”

Hampton played both ways in high school as a DB and receiver, finishing his prep career at Florida State University High School (Tallahassee, Fla.) with 115 receptions for 1,797 yards and 21 touchdowns while also notching 92 career tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six interceptions over his 43 games. As a senior, he posted 53 receptions for 873 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games on offense, adding 64 tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions and nine passes defensed on defense.

Thanks to his outstanding debut season at Clemson, Hampton was tabbed by both the FWAA and College Football Network as a Freshman All-American. Among his highlights were a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. NC State, and an amazing one-handed interception at Virginia Tech. He tallied a career-high seven tackles and a pass breakup at Pitt, and later capped off his freshman campaign by collecting five tackles and a pass breakup in the College Football Playoff game at Texas.

Discussing what stands out to him about Hampton, Reed said the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is “like a unicorn.”

“He’s different,” Reed said. “You don’t see too many young men with that type of ability. And when you get one, it’s almost like a unicorn. They don’t come often, but when you do have one, you cherish it.”

Hampton is once again expected to play a key role on the back end of the Clemson defense this season, along with other corners Jeadyn Lukus and Avieon Terrell.

Reed touched on Hampton’s development and how he’d like to see Hampton improve in his second year with the Tigers.

“I would just say continue to develop wholistically — not just on the football field, but certain things off the field,” Reed said. “Becoming a more vocal leader, take that type of initiative, serving a little bit more. It’s a lot that I ask and require of my guys, so I don’t ever be satisfied.”