On ESPN’s First Draft show, NFL Draft analysts Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. showered high praise on Clemson junior cornerback Ashton Hampton.

Their conversation came on the heels of Yates ranking Hampton as the No. 6 overall prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Yates, who believes Hampton’s draft stock has been rocketing through Week 5 of the college football season, called his early season run “brilliant.”

Hampton has tallied 15 total tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception through five games this season, and he’s coming off a lockdown performance against Miami star wide receiver Malachi Toney, where Hampton held Toney to just one catch and 8 yards on three targets.

“Ashton Hampton has had a brilliant start,” Yates said. “I know Clemson, they have had an up-and-down start to their season. Obviously losing to Miami this past weekend, not great for them. … Ashton Hampton — that is a look-the-part corner. This is a big, physical, cut-up, jacked corner who has been excellent this season.

“Excellent ball skills. Physical. Plays with a lot of confidence. Unafraid of taking on your best wide receiver in man-to-man coverage. It’s pretty clean here across the board. A guy who’s been in college for three years, a first-time eligible corner. And with Clemson not being a dominant program, I’d be surprised if this guy is not out at the end of this upcoming season.”

Kiper joined Yates in praising Hampton, with Kiper touting him as the second-best corner in the 2027 NFL Draft class and the No. 8 overall prospect.

“Ashton’s been around football his entire life,” Kiper said. “He gets it. He’s got the length. … He’s trash-talking all the time. He’s got that cornerback mentality that he loves that challenge. He’s had some battles with [Clemson wide receiver Bryant] Wesco in practice. By the way, that other corner, Elliot Washington, is a good player at Clemson as well. For Ashton Hampton, I’m with ya. … Ashton Hampton is the second-best cornerback in this draft.”

Hampton’s father, Alonzo, is the head coach at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and was an NFL Europe teammate of Clemson cornerbacks coach Mike Reed with the Frankfurt Galaxy.

Kiper noted he previously scouted Hampton’s father, who was also a cornerback.

“I’m old. I scouted his father – his father was in my 1997 draft report — Alonzo Hampton,” Kiper said. “Now the head coach of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, by the way. Was a heck of a corner at, then it was Northeast Louisiana, now Louisiana Monroe. And a heck of a corner, Alonzo Hampton was. In my book, I actually had a – it would’ve been a 12-round draft – but it would’ve been a draftable grade. Went undrafted.”

The 2027 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place from April 29 to May 1 in Washington, D.C.

Hampton broke out during his freshman campaign in 2024, when he appeared in all 14 games, made four starts, and earned Freshman All-America honors after tallying 30 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions, including one he returned 53 yards for a touchdown.

Hampton followed up his debut season with a strong sophomore season in 2025, locking down a key role in the secondary. He recorded 47 tackles, a sack, an interception and 11 pass breakups while starting all 13 of Clemson’s games.

Before enrolling at Clemson in the summer of 2024, Hampton was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals and was ranked by On3 as the No. 15 prospect in its “athlete” designation.