Kyle Hamilton Summer Scouting Report

Continuing on with the 2022 NFL Draft summer scouting series War Room Scouting takes a look at Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton.

Background

Kyle Hamilton always stood out from his peers at the safety position. Coming in with a 6-4 frame as a safety Hamilton’s profile attracted the University of Notre Dame early in the recruiting process. According to 247 Sports Recruiting Rankings Hamilton graded as the fifth best safety and the 9th best player in the state of Georgia for the 2019 recruiting class.

It would not take long for Kyle Hamilton to make his presence known around the college football landscape. On Hamilton’s first defensive snap in Notre Dame’s home opener against New Mexico he would return an interception for a 34-yard touchdown. Hamilton would go on to finish his true freshman season with 41 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 10 pass deflections and 4 interceptions with one of them being a touchdown. His early impact as a freshman in 2019 would grant him The Athletic Freshman All – American Award.

Following his early impact in 2020 Hamilton would continue to improve his overall game and would become a trusted and flexible piece for the Notre Dame defense. Hamilton’s improvement would helped guide Notre Dame to a College Football Playoff appearance, the first time the Fighting Irish have done so since 2018 – 2019 season. Hamilton would go on to finish the 2020 season with 63 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 7 pass deflections, and 1 interception.

Hamilton’s impact over the course of two seasons has caused him to be a highly regarded prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft cycle. It is now time for us at War Room Scouting to take a look at Kyle Hamilton’s skill set.

Positives

Versatility

Perhaps Hamilton’s most valuable trait as a football player is his versatility and deployment in the Notre Dame defense. While Hamilton’s true position is a deep free safety primarily aligned in the center of the field, he also possesses the flexibility ability to play in the box as a strong safety and in the slot as a cornerback. His natural athleticism and talent to be placed in a multitude of positions was valuable to former defensive coordinator Clark Lea. He was able to place Hamilton against the strong point of opposing offenses. Doing so resulted in Hamilton frequently being around the ball and mitigating impact players from the opposition. As position flexibility continues to be a premium for modern defenses Hamilton embodies the skill that many defensive coordinators covet.

Range in Pass Coverage

While Hamilton’s versatility shines pre – snap his range in coverage is his best asset post – snap. Primarily lined up as a lone free safety and occasionally playing a split safety coverage in Notre Dame’s defense, Hamilton possesses the patience to maintain the integrity of his zone as he is rarely manipulated by the eyes of the quarterback. Because of his patience on the backend Hamilton can use his unique athleticism to his advantage as he has explosive change of direction skills and speed to close on routes at an efficient rate. Combined with efficient range as a free safety Hamilton also excels at dislodging passes at the catch point as he uses his long 6’4 frame to crowd and disrupt catch opportunities from opposing receivers. In situations where Hamilton is deployed in the box as a strong safety or lined up in the slot (frequently in man coverage) he carries over his patience in the backend to more confined areas. Against quick routes he consistently explodes in transition after the opposing receiver declares leverage to break and disrupt passes. Because of his range and change of direction skills in coverage Hamilton makes himself a dynamic and flexible piece in the Notre Dame defense.

Below are some examples of Hamilton’s range in coverage.

Physicality as a tackler

As Hamilton’s natural range and athleticism shines in pass coverage his aggressiveness and physicality in tackling opportunities is what pops on film. In pass coverage Hamilton consistently assists with tackles that are presented underneath his zone with efficient downhill closing speed and force at the point of attack. His speed coming downhill helps him generate momentum through his hits and bring down pass catchers looking to generate space. In run sets is where Hamilton shows the peak of his physicality as a tackler. On inside run sets he fills the alley with little hesitation in his approach and always finds himself in the trenches to enforce ball carriers between the tackles. At the tackling point Hamilton does a good job positioning his pad level square and driving his frame through the ball carrier to consistently mitigate runs through the interior of the defense. On outside runs Hamilton uses his explosive range and change of direction skills to run sideline to sideline and meets ball carriers before they are able to make meaningful progress in their vertical cuts up the field.

Below are examples of Hamilton’s physicality as a tackler.

Negatives

Over aggressiveness on tackles

While Hamilton does show a physical and willing attitude as a tackler his aggressive nature does hurt him throughout the course of games. At some points Hamilton is too quick to trigger downhill on a ball carrier and finds himself not coming to ground as a tackler leaving his pads high and his feet not in unison leading to improper technique. In some instances where Hamilton is a free safety anticipating an open field tackle he is too aggressive in his approach coming downhill that he puts himself in compromising and premature tackling angles leading to many chunk plays occurring on the backend.

Below are examples of some over aggressive tackling reps by Hamilton.

Lingering Injuries

The 2020 season provided Hamilton with some frequent setbacks. The first of which occurred during the season opener against Duke in which he suffered a low ankle sprain and could not finish the game. A similar ankle sprain injury would arise late in the year against Clemson in the ACC Championship game. Totaling two ankle sprains in 2020, Hamilton will need to show that he could put his ankle sprains in the past in order to stay healthy heading into the 2021 season.

Scheme Fit

Single high free safety with the flexibility to play split safety coverages and the versatility to play in the box as a strong safety or slot cornerback.

Grade

1.1 (Top 10 Player)

Final Summary

Kyle Hamilton possesses a unique blend of traits as a safety. His 6’4 frame combined with his explosive range and change of direction skills makes him stand out from other safety’s. Having the necessary range to make plays as a split and single high free safety is a great asset against today’s pass heavy offenses present in the college game and the physicality that is shown when meeting ball carriers is a great bonus. Paired up with his versatility as a defender Hamilton fits the mold of the modern safety play present in the NFL with players such as Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers) and Jeremy Chinn (Carolina Panthers) showing that position flexibility combined with athleticism makes a noticeable impact for any defensive unit. While Hamilton will have to refine his over aggressive tendencies as a tackler and avoid injuries that followed him throughout 2020, he has the unique blend of size, speed, and toughness at the safety position to be the best safety prospect going into the 2022 NFL Draft process.