Sha'lik Hampton, Mercyhurst TE: the 2026 season story
Sha'lik Hampton is a sophomore tight end for Mercyhurst (NEC). He ranks 117th of 305 tight ends in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every tight end on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked tight end, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Sha'lik Hampton's strongest measure is touchdowns per game at 0.5, 14th of 169 (the average is 0.2). His weakest is yards per target at 5.5, 141st of 169 (the average is 7.6).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His receiving yards per game, 27, ranks 52nd among 169 ranked tight ends.
Against every tight end
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked tight ends he sits, on average, in the 66th percentile for volume, 24th for efficiency and 93rd for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 7 games, Sha'lik Hampton's best came in week 9 at Stonehill and his quietest in week 10 against Wagner.
When it matters
Why it matters. Third downs, the red zone and games against good teams are where drives and seasons are decided.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every tight end on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Sha'lik Hampton is 28th of 136 FCS tight ends and 3rd of 6 in the NEC. Next up nationally is Lonnie Shinn of SE Louisiana, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Tight ends like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Caden Piening of UCF.
