Kyle Hamilton did “not throw away his shot” at making the Baltimore Ravens starting lineup.
He started 15 games at safety this past season, tallying 81 total tackles (63 solo), three sacks, ten tackles for loss, 13 pass PBUs, four interceptions, and a defensive touchdown.
He was named to every publication’s first-team All-Pro list.
Sure, there’s still a million things he hasn’t “done, but just you wait, just you wait.” Okay, sorry, I’ll stop now with the references to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s unimaginably popular musical about the Founding Fathers.
Hamilton’s coach at Notre Dame, Brian Kelly, once discussed the attributes of the Atlanta native (who was born in Greece).
“He’s long, rangy, athletic, fit the run, you just don’t get many players of that caliber,” Kelly said heading into Hamilton’s junior/final college season.
“He is so much more aware of where he is in the big picture now than he was last year, and what I mean by that specifically is that this is a big year for him, and he knows that. His focus, his attention to detail, he is now locked into that.
“And we are the beneficiaries of that.”
As a freshman All-American, while splitting time with Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott, he displayed exceptional athleticism, ball skills, and a high football IQ. Throughout his Notre Dame career, Hamilton went on a consistent positive trajectory due to his versatility in the secondary, the “centerfielder” like range he shows in the back seven, and his overall physicality on the field.
We’re also seeing what a fast learner and quickly developing star he can be in the NFL now. On Christmas Day against the NFC (and oh so close to be being Super Bowl) champion San Francisco 49ers, Hamilton notched two vital interceptions that keyed the Ravens to a 33–19 victory.
The performance got him an AFC Defensive Player of the Week award. From high school to college to the pros, he’s shown an uncanny ability to make big plays, grab crucial interceptions, and break up passes with the best of them.
The next step for him is to become the best safety in football. He can do it. Kyle Hamilton could be the next Ed Reed when all is said and done.