2022 NFL Draft Profile: Safety Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton is a true junior who played safety for Notre Dame. He is regarded as one of the premier defensive players in this draft class, and is projected as a top-10 selection.

His junior season was brought to an abrupt end, as he suffered a knee injury against USC on October 23rd. The injury was believed to be a “pinched fat pad” around his knee cap, which essentially means tendons were strained and no structural damage occurred.

Although he did not require surgery, he elected to rest the last six weeks of the seasons to fully recover. Therefore, he only played seven games on the year.

This injury is perceived to be just a blip on the radar, as Hamilton is widely viewed as game-changing prospect at the next level. Although his season was shortened, he ended the year as a Second Team All-American and a finalist for the Bednarik Award (for the nation’s best defensive player). He was a team captain, pre-season All-American, mid-season All-American and a third-team All-American as a sophomore.

He played in 31 games for the Fighting Irish, totaling 138 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 8 interceptions.

Games Watched: Alabama (2020), Cincinnati (2021), Florida State (2021), Purdue (2021), Wisconsin (2021)

Strengths

Versatility: When watching film on Hamilton, it truly was a challenge to keep up with his alignment. On any given play, the “safety” can be positioned as a single-high centerfielder, slot corner, or a blitzer off the edge.  This was a testament to Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, Marcus Freeman’s trust in Hamilton.

Hamilton thrived in all of these roles due to his high football IQ, and fluid adjustments in real time. It was common to see Hamilton communicate with the rest of his defensive backs, and properly position the third level of the defense pre-snap. He also excelled at handing off defenders while playing in zone and sifting through traffic.

Toughness: His most impressive trait was his ability to tackle, and tackle cleanly. Hamilton played the majority of his snaps in the slot, and free safety positions. I enjoyed watching the defender move “fast and slow” simultaneously. He would scream down the field in pursuit, find his base, chop his feet, and perform consistent, sound tackling. It was an impressive sight, and gives confidence that he could do this at the next level.

Athleticism and IQ: Hamilton provides a complete package as an every-down defender. He has innate football sense, and does his best work reading the eyes of the quarterback. And when he sees something that intrigues him, he commits and reacts accordingly. Due to his height and speed he can cover a large amount a ground and closes on his opponents quickly.

Notre Dame deployed him in “robber” coverage often in his time at South Bend. Meaning, he would begin the play as an over the top defender (think Cover-2), but then crash towards the middle of the defense in zone coverage when the ball is snapped. This style of coverage is designed to bait the quarterback into thinking the middle of the field is open, and potentially force dangerous throws.

This was an ideal way to use Hamilton with his athletic profile. It was common to see Hamilton follow his eyes to one route combination, take it away, and then support his teammates when the ball was thrown away from him. Quite often he’d get his hand on the ball, or jarr the ball loose with contact.

Here’s an example of Hamilton blitzing off the edge, displaying his length and athleticism:

@kyledhamilton_ is a true, multi-purpose weapon out of #NotreDame

His length and overall football IQ allows for him to roam all over the field.

Here, he blitzes from the slot position and bats down a pass from Desmond Ridder.

An impressive athlete for a safety. @FullPressNFL pic.twitter.com/pcxJYpkXQl

— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) February 26, 2022

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Weaknesses

• If we were to nitpick Hamilton, you could make the claim that he can occasionally get lost in man coverage. He is athletic for his size, but shiftier, quicker receivers may pose a problem due to their short-area quickness. But truly, Hamilton can hang with most of his opponents.
• Some argue that Hamilton may be a little lean, but at 21 years old, he still has the frame to bulk up.
• Finally, a few members of the Notre Dame program have shared that they wished he spent more time in the weight room. But this isn’t considered a red flag across the league.

Ideal Role

Free Safety, but truly a defensive weapon. Hamilton has the length, intelligence, and speed to be a true single-high safety. With his size, he can patrol the backend of a defense and help offset any mistakes from his teammates. He is agile enough to shoot from hash mark to sideline, and also provides a 6’4″ presence that will win in a jump ball. He has the potential to be a true turnover machine if deployed correctly.

But, it would be a disservice for defensive coordinators to limit Hamilton to one position. He would best be served as a chess piece and used as a second-level patroller. Hamilton can provide coverage in the slot, and can also mix it up at the robber position. Think of Hamilton as a more refined Isaiah Simmons or taller Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Potential Fits

Hamilton will be a highly sought after defender selected in the top-half of April’s Draft. The Atlanta Falcons have a need at the safety position, and have shown an affinity to select players deemed as unicorns (see: Kyle Pitts). The New York Jets, Detroit Lions, and Washington Commanders could also be in the mix for Hamilton’s services.