Kyle Hamilton, the current strong safety for the Baltimore Ravens, has become one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Hamilton is in his third season with the team after playing at Notre Dame in South Bend. He was so good and such a dominant force for the Fighting Irish he was able to declare for the draft after 3 years despite some concerns scouts had, specifically his speed since he had an underwhelming 40 yard dash time, as well as his short area quickness and his man coverage ability.
His height was something that scouts liked; he is taller than your average DB at 6-4. Hamilton also checked the boxes for how dynamic and versatile he was because he could be a free safety or come down in the box and be a strong safety. He was also graded as being a physical tackler and not scared to hit. After considering the pros and cons, the Ravens took a chance on him and selected him in the 1st round of the 2022 with the 14th overall pick, which matches his jersey number.
“He is one of hardest hitting players in the league right now,” said by senior Naim Dominique. Hamilton started his rookie season at safety but midway through the year he moved to slot corner/nickel position to be closer to the line of scrimmage and give him the opportunity to impact every play more. It payed off and he had a decent rookie season, finishing as PFF’s 2nd highest graded rookie DB in 2022.
In 2023, Hamilton took a big step forward and got better going into his second season. He was given the role of being a Swiss army knife, lining up at every position. He recorded 61 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 4 picks, and a pick-six. To add to that, he received AP First-Team All-Pro honors and Pro Bowl honors. It’s fair to assess that Hamilton had a breakout year. “Best safety in the league and hardest hitting safety,” said by junior Ravens fan Tyler Ellis when he was asked to describe Hamilton.
The Ravens are in the middle of the 2024 season sitting at 5-2 and at the top of the AFC North. Hamilton again has had a good start to the season and is looking to repeat as an All-Pro and Pro Bowler.
