{"id":44736,"date":"2022-04-27T13:00:27","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T17:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=44736"},"modified":"2022-04-24T22:49:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T02:49:58","slug":"kyle-hamilton-nfl-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2022\/04\/27\/kyle-hamilton-nfl-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Hamilton NFL Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kyle Hamilton<\/strong> enters the 2022 NFL Draft<\/strong> as a potential top-five pick. If he goes off the board before pick #6, he\u2019ll become the highest Irish draft pick since 1993. As it stands, he\u2019ll certainly be Notre Dame\u2019s first first-rounder since Jerry Tillery<\/strong> in 2017. How does Hamilton stack up, where does he best fit, and who will draft the Irish safety?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kyle Hamilton Strengths<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of Hamilton\u2019s most obvious strengths is his pure physicality. At 6\u20194, 220 pounds, Hamilton is a true monster in the safety position. He delivers absolutely thundering hits, and rarely do ball-carriers or pass-catchers break a Hamilton tackle attempt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the physicality, Hamilton displayed vastly improved open-field tackling throughout his career. There can be some critiques regarding his angle of approach, but Hamilton\u2019s length and size frequently covered up these issues. Hamilton was not only proficient in pass coverage (eight career interceptions), but he disrupted opposing run games (7.5 tackles for loss). Those stats came in a defensive scheme that didn\u2019t play its safeties extremely aggressively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kyle Hamilton Weaknesses<\/b><\/h3>\n

There aren\u2019t too many, as Hamilton grades out as the top prospect in this draft. He\u2019s the highest-graded safety since Malik Hooker<\/strong> in 2017 by NFL.com\u2019s prospect grader. However, Hamilton\u2019s Combine results provided some concern. Among safeties, Hamilton tied for last in the 40-yard dash, ranked fifth of seven in the 3-cone drill, and finished next-to-last in the 20-yard shuttle. Hamilton\u2019s film shows that his on-field speed seemingly exceeds these poor numbers, but certainly, the raw physical score was a little concerning. Whoever drafts Hamilton is expending a very high draft pick on a non-premium position. For reference, the aforementioned Hooker came off the board at 15th overall in his draft class. Teams don\u2019t frequently draft first-round safeties, so the Combine and Pro Day numbers may scare off a few teams from taking Hamilton extremely early.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best 2022 Game Film: Florida State<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s hard to argue this one – Hamilton <\/span>notched two interceptions<\/span><\/a> in the season opener for the Irish. For one of them, Hamilton covered about half the width of the field to make a tumbling pick near the sideline. Many called it one of the best interceptions they\u2019d seen, and this game<\/a> certainly showed that the on-field speed may not be a huge concern for Hamilton.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Worst 2022 Game Film: Cincinnati<\/b><\/h3>\n

Hamilton only played seven games and was a difference-maker in many of them. The Cincinnati loss stands out as a tougher game for the safety. Cincinnati tight ends and receivers seemingly torched the Irish secondary on up-the-middle routes all game, carving through Hamilton\u2019s primary domain. Towards the end of the first half, Hamilton surrendered a rare touchdown, getting turned around on a deep ball from Desmond Ridder<\/a>. Some scouts have questioned Hamilton\u2019s coverage in space. The Cincinnati debacle certainly highlighted a few of those concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Fit: Atlanta Falcons<\/b><\/h3>\n

This would be a great pairing. Hamilton gets to enter as a Year 1 starter, playing alongside Dean Marlowe,<\/a> a high-level NFL safety. Meanwhile, Atlanta gains a great rookie playmaker for their defense as they begin a huge rebuild.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prediction: New York Jets (Round 1, Pick 4)\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s been speculation Hamilton will drop. And certainly, that\u2019s a possibility. But, realistically, New York\u2019s secondary is in shambles. They pick twice in the top ten and could feasibly land both Hamilton and LSU\u2019s Derek Stingley<\/strong> to address both corner and safety with premium talents. Hamilton\u2019s ceiling is No. 3 to the Texans, with the top two teams projected to go after either offensive linemen or edge rushers. Likely, the floor is somewhere in that No. 13 range. That\u2019s where the Browns, desperately seeking defensive upgrades, select. Hamilton shouldn\u2019t fall that far, and it\u2019s hard to imagine Cleveland passing on that opportunity. <\/span><\/p>\n

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