April 26, 2010
Vanderbilt safety Ryan Hamilton, who missed virtually all of his senior season to injury, will sign a free agent deal with the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.
Hamilton, from Wycombe, Pa., entered 2009 with 32 consecutive starts and as a defensive co-captain, suffered a torn pectoral muscle at LSU in the second game. The injury resulted in season-ending surgery for Hamilton, who battled back during offseason conditioning to impress scouts at Vanderbilt’s Pro Day in late March.
In 2008, Hamilton helped the Commodores to a victory in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, posting career highs in virtually every defensive statistical category, including 51 solo tackles, 104 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. He also ranked second on the team with four interceptions, including three in Vanderbilt’s early-season win at Ole Miss.
Two teammates, cornerback Myron Lewis and offensive tackle Thomas Welch, were selected during the 2010 NFL Draft that concluded Saturday afternoon. Lewis signed in the third round with Tampa Bay while Welch went to New England in the seventh round.