James Hamilton was drafted No. 79 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1997 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. 16 regular-season games · 1 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #79
- Round
- 3
- Draft class
- 1997
- NFL games
- 16
- Career AV
- 1108th at North Carolina
The pick
How James Hamilton came off the board in 1997.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
North Carolina
ACC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
16 regular-season games · 1 career approximate value
- Games played
- 16
- Career approximate value
- 1108th among North Carolina picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1100% of career value
- Final season
- 19981 years after the draft
Around pick 79
Who came off the board on either side of James Hamilton.
Stanford
Boston College
Arizona State
Washington State
North Carolina in the 1997 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from North Carolina
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
North Carolina · Hall of Fame · 8× All-Pro · 10× Pro Bowl
#52
Zach Brown
LB · TEN · 2012
North Carolina · 1× Pro Bowl
#36
Buddy Curry
LB · ATL · 1980
North Carolina
#235
Carlton Bailey
LB · BUF · 1988
North Carolina
#17
Brian Simmons
LB · CIN · 1998
North Carolina
#36
Mike Wilcher
LB · LAR · 1983
North Carolina
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
James Hamilton in the 1997 NFL Draft
James Hamilton is a Linebacker out of North Carolina selected No. 79 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1997 NFL Draft. 16 regular-season games · 1 career approximate value North Carolina has produced 154 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was James Hamilton drafted?
James Hamilton was selected No. 79 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1997 NFL Draft (Rd 3). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/james-hamilton.
What college did James Hamilton play for?
James Hamilton played college football at North Carolina in the ACC. See every North Carolina draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/north-carolina-tar-heels.
How did James Hamilton's NFL career turn out?
16 regular-season games · 1 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/james-hamilton.