Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy shares why Tonka Hemingway is a 'sleeper name' for next year's NFL Draft
Most Gamecock football fans know just how good defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway is. But does the rest of the country?
Well, if they don’t know him now, they might after this season.
Hemingway, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound senior, has proven to be a force in the trenches. He’ll more likely than not be heading to the NFL after this season. But as of now, he’s projected to be a late round to undrafted player in next year’s draft.
However, Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and veteran NFL scout, believes Hemingway will be a name to remember come next April.
“If NFL free agency has taught us anything this offseason it’s how much front offices value athletic DTs who can rush the QB,” Nagy tweeted. “Same applies to how teams value that third-down skill-set in draft so one sleeper name to remember for next April is @GamecockFB DT Tonka Hemingway.”
Nagy went on to point out that the film on Hemingway doesn’t do him full justice. He said he’s “more disruptive on tape than his team-leading 4.0 sacks might suggest.”
While Hemingway did lead the Gamecocks in sacks last year, he also made 33 tackles, with eight being for loss. He also had a pass deflection and two fumble recoveries.
“South Carolina’s versatile 285-pounder (6025v, 33 3/8 arm) is a fun athlete with smaller-man movement, bounce, and coordination,” Nagy said.
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Nagy tweeted about Hemingway’s background as a three-sport athlete in high school, something he considered to be a “dying breed.” While at Conway (S.C.) High School, he played football, basketball and baseball. He earned first-team all-state honors in basketball after averaging 20 points per game.
How does this relate to what he’s able to do on the football field? A lot of what Hemingway is able to do involves his athleticism. Last year, he easily pummeled into the end zone for a two-point conversion versus SC State. A few weeks later, he connected with Kai Kroger on a fake field goal attempt for a 16-yard gain against Vanderbilt.
Nagy also brought up a more personal connection that he has with Hemingway’s family. When he was a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs, he helped draft Hemingway’s brother, Junior, a wide receiver at Michigan, in 2012.
“Based @seniorbowl preliminary grades, Hemingway has good chance to be next-up in talented DL pipeline from Columbia to Mobile (Kinlaw, Wonnum, Enagbare, Pickens),” Nagy said.
Hemingway’s first chance to show what he can do this season will come on Sept. 2 in Charlotte against North Carolina. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
