2022 NFL Draft: Kyle Hamilton reveals who his football idols were, why he chose Notre Dame

Kyle Hamilton is one of the most intriguing prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft. It’s rare for a safety to get the widespread recognition and consensus ranking from nearly every scout, analyst and talent evaluator. Historically, while there have been exceptions like Ed Reed coming out of Miami or the late Sean Taylor who also played for the Hurricanes, drafting a safety in the first round hasn’t paid dividends for NFL teams.

The Notre Dame star is getting the “generational talent” label slapped on him, it’s fair to wonder who the Irish safety studied and looked up to growing up just 61 miles away from the Georgia Bulldogs campus. His response when asked by NFL Network’s Rich Eisen earlier this week was eye-popping to say the least.

“I grew up a big LSU fan so I saw Eric Reid, Tyrann Mathieu, Odell and all those guys that came through LSU, so I pretty much wanted to be like them and have the opportunity to play in college and maybe in the pros,” Hamilton admitted.

For several reasons that are beyond obvious to anyone following sports, the irony of that revelation paired with the timing and current climate of the LSU Tigers and Notre Dame.

But it got even better, and while LSU fans may have the coach they believe will lead them to the promised land and Irish fans may have already wiped their hands clean of the Brian Kelly scorn, Hamilton added fuel to the fire even though he was clearly speaking from the heart and has a clear respect for both of the legendary college programs.

Why did Kyle Hamilton choose Notre Dame over LSU, Georgia and others

Hamilton clearly came into his own during his magical tenure at Notre Dame, putting together a college career where he excelled as each season passed under the guidance of Kelly, new Irish head coach and former DC Marcus Freeman and his position coaches. Still, Hamilton didn’t fly under the radar coming out of the Marist School in Atlanta, Ga.

The four-star prospect was ranked the No. 6 safety in the country in 2019 and the No. 9 overall prospect at any position in the state of Georgia. Still, he turned down offers from UGA, Clemson, Michigan and others for specific reasons he shared when Eisen asked him if he wanted to go to LSU and why he opted for South Bend.

“I did not actually, but they did offer me which was a childhood dream come true,” Kyle Hamilton responded without pause. That will surely only add fuel to the strange new rivalry building between LSU and the Irish.

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While he didn’t mean it as a jab, Hamilton then outlines the reasons he felt Notre Dame was a superior choice to the other programs and LSU specifically.

“But I decided to go to Notre Dame for other reasons I’m sure you already know. The alumni network, academic rigors and the relationships you will grow throughout your time there. I’m definitely thankful for LSU but I think I made the right decision for sure.

“I found I wanted to get out of myself and experience something new,” Hamilton said. “Notre Dame has a lot to offer outside of football but I also had the chance to play for a national championship every year and so that was really important to me. Then getting a chance to meet the guys, the coaches and Coach Kelly, I thought culturally I fit in really well. Those guys I will have relationships with for life and I’m really grateful.” 

Hamilton gave a ton of the credit to Brian Kelly, who the safety admitted to Eisen personally recruited hiim and came to his family’s home in Atlanta, Ga. 

Obviously as Hamilton prepares to embark on a NFL career, his college head coach now embarks on his new job as the LSU Tigers front man — so the versatile defensive back will have some tough decisions when it comes to showing his face around Baton Rouge to catch up with his mentor while still remaining loyal to Marcus Freeman and the passionate, storied Fighting Irish fan base. 

If anyone has proven he’s smart and intelligent enough to navigate those murky waters, it’s Kyle Hamilton based on every report coming out about him. And if there’s ever been a player that embodies everything Notre Dame preaches, he appears to be the prototype for the ideal member and spokesperson for that elite Fighting Irish fraternity for years to come.