The 2022 NFL Draft process is about to begin, and it starts with summer scouting. The defensive side of the ball in this class looks extraordinary at the top, and will likely dominate the talk for analysts all year.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish always have a few prospects that end up as high draft selections, but 2022 could bring about a special one. That player, of course, is safety Kyle Hamilton, who was the top player on the NFL Mocks’ early big board.
Hamilton has been very productive at the safety position so far in his career with the Irish. As a freshman, Hamilton had 41 tackles, a tackle for loss, four interceptions (one returned for a score), and six passes defensed. He was named a freshman All-American by The Athletic, and was named a newcomer of the year.
Hamilton took it up a notch in his sophomore campaign, racking up 63 tackles, four for a loss, an interception, and six more passes broken up. He earned plenty of awards in the 2020 season, most notably first team All-ACC, and made plenty of All-America teams from various publications.
Kyle Hamilton’s numbers show a do-it-all, versatile safety prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft who could go in the top five.
Expectations are high for Hamilton entering his junior season, and he has all the tools to deliver on said expectations. So how does his game stack up against the 2022 NFL Draft’s best at this point? Let’s dive in and look at his game under a microscope as we continue to roll through some summer scouting. Off we go!
Strengths of Hamilton’s game
The first thing that stands out with Hamilton’s game is his football IQ. He has a great understand of route concepts and does a great job recognizing when receivers and tight ends are about to come open against zone coverage. Hamilton closes space quickly to close passing windows before they open, especially on intermediate crossers. Against the run, he keys in on the direction of the running play, and closes exceptionally well to make plays in the backfield with his trigger downhill.
Hamilton’s versatility is another huge part of his skill set. He can play in the box in a linebacker role, and does a great job as a strong safety. Hamilton can also play on the back end in a deep half or a single high look due to his great range and quickness.
Hamilton’s closing speed is something else that stands out. As a blitzer, he’s great at getting downhill fast and creating extra pressure on the quarterback. He also closes quickly from the back end well and in coverage near the line of scrimmage.
When he’s in coverage, Hamilton has very good transitions and keeps up well with receivers due to his long strides and recovery acceleration. His top end speed is good enough to stick with vertical routes down the field.
Hamilton is also a great open field tackler. He wraps up well and is great at filling against the run, and rarely lets anyone get by him one on one in space. He succeeded in this area against top competition all year long.
Ball skills are something not as prevalent, but it’s mostly because he isn’t targeted a whole lot in coverage. He is great at dislodging the football at the catch point and is a menace for receivers. He’s got the size and length to shrink passing windows and get his hands on the football, and often converts opportunities into interceptions.
Weaknesses of Hamilton’s game
There are very few weaknesses in the game that Kyle Hamilton has at the moment. If there are any, it probably starts with his angles. Often his angles are solid, but there are times where he gets a little flat and doesn’t anticipate the speed of his opponents when he’s playing deep. It happens against the run when he gets downhill, and the poor angle can lead to a missed tackle or two. His missed tackles often happen when he tries to wrap up high or goes for stripping the football.
Final Thoughts
Kyle Hamilton is incredibly well-rounded, and that speaks to why he’s one of the top prospects right now as the 2022 NFL Draft scouting process gets underway. His versatility, size, athleticism, and football IQ make him one of the best safety prospects we’ve seen in some time.
If he were to sit out for the season, it’s likely he could still go in the top five of the 2022 NFL Draft. Defensive backs are getting more versatile nowadays, and it’s important to have safeties who can play both positions. Hamilton can, and his 2021 season could be one for the books. In a league that moves more and more to passing, Hamilton’s value will only go up.