Getting to know Stanford's next two-sport star Caleb Hampton

The Tennessee native committed to Stanford earlier this week to play both, after once being committed to South Carolina. Hampton caught up with us here at All Cardinal to talk about his decision to pick Stanford, his goals for both sports, and what he hopes to bring to each program. 

Hampton was well aware of the dual-sport athletes that came before him and talked about his aspiration to go down as the next great one saying:

"It just motivates me...I want to be added to that list and make a name for myself at Stanford and just carry on the legacy."

The chance to play two sports is one that doesn't come around often, but Hampton expressed that since even when he was a kid he knew that his dream was to play both football and baseball and this level explaining:

"Growing up I always told my dad that I wanted to play football and baseball, I started playing baseball first and have always wanted to play at the highest level I could play."

He continued saying:

"When Stanford said that I could do that here, I was just so excited and talked to my family about it and we were all excited. It was a dream and blessing come true."

While some recruits may have shied away from a new staff, Hampton cited his current situation at Baylor School, who had a new football coach this season, and he felt like he thrived under a new football staff and explained it will help prepare him for new beginnings on the farm. His relationship with Stanford's new runnings back coach Malcolm Agnew helped make his decision easier as he explained:

"Coach Agnew and I really had a connection when talking, he really wanted me. It came pretty late, but how dedicated he was to talking to me and how much he wanted me really showed how much he and the whole staff cared for me."

He continued saying:

"When I saw that they really wanted me, they kept reaching out, kept and checking on me. All of the coaches have reached out telling me "welcome home". When I saw that I knew coach Taylor was really building something new with the relationships they have with the players. "

Obviously every kid when they grow up wants to be a pro something, but when Hampton answered what his aspirations for at Stanford, he showed maturity beyond his years saying:

"I want to impact the university to the max, I want to help make a positive difference in the world after leaving there...Forming good connections with people, having people be able to say "Oh yea Caleb Hampton was a great guy, a great man that helped this program" that's what I want to leave when I'm leaving Stanford."

Hampton knows that it will not be an easy task to excel at both sports while attending Stanford, but he also explained how he doesn't ever shy away from a challenge and actually yearns for them saying:

"I like challenges, I like experiencing challenges so that's what I'm most excited for, and to where I can one day  can tell my children one day that I went to Stanford and played both sports and also had a great impact, that's what I'm very excited for." 

Hampton who ranks as one of the best outfielders in the country has major goals on the diamond and the gridiron:

"I want to win the title, I want to win the title in both football and baseball, help the program grow, and help my teammates learn new plays, meet new people, and new traditions."

The thing that I took away most in talking to Hampton is that both Troy Taylor and baseball coach David Esquer got a good one. Hampton has the potential to be an impactful player for both programs, and may be one of the biggest wins of the early Taylor era. 

Hampton will be taking his official visit to Stanford from January 20-22, and is officially signing on February 1.