Notre Dame connection: How Daelin Hayes helped Kyle Hamilton through first Baltimore Ravens minicamp
Former Notre Dame defensive standout Daelin Hayes didn’t have the rookie season he wanted to. Injuries marred his first year with the Baltimore Ravens.
But one year was still enough to get a glimpse of what life in the NFL is like.
If you can’t play, you might as well watch intently. Study everything. Mental reps. Hayes took everything in. Fully healthy and hoping to stay that way in year two, Hayes might not possess the on-field repetitions in his pocket to be of use to 2022 rookies. But he still has the acumen above the shoulders to be of assistance.
His former Notre Dame teammate discovered that this offseason.
The Ravens selected All-American safety Kyle Hamilton with the No. 14 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. According to many accounts, Hamilton starred in Ravens minicamp. But he still had down days. Even someone as talented and football savvy as Hamilton is susceptible to them, especially as a rookie who just a few months ago was standing on the Notre Dame sideline with a knee injury.
“One thing I will say is dudes at this level are good,” Hamilton said on the Inside the Garage podcast. “I thought me personally, I didn’t have a good day of practice. I was like, ‘Dang, I should have practiced better,’ and this and that.”
Enter the former Notre Dame running mate.
“Daelin was like, ‘Look bro. Everyone at this level is good. You’re going to get done up in practice a few times. It just is what it is,'” Hamilton said Hayes told him. “‘You’re not going to be perfect every day. Dudes in the league get beat on a weekly basis. You have to understand where you’re at and try to fix the mistakes that you’ve made.'”
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Hamilton said Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson showed up for a voluntary workout even amid his ongoing contract negotiation. That’s when he fully realized he wasn’t in college anymore.
“You see in-person, up close, a top-five quarterback in the NFL, he can really spin it,” Hamilton said. “Arm angles, and then obviously when he gets outside the pocket it’s over with. You see how precise you have to be on defense. Our coach preaches in the league, six inches is open. You have to be on-body, in position.”
Inside the Garage cohost Conor Ratigan, a walk-on senior wide receiver at Notre Dame, took that quote and immediately went to the idea of Hamilton going against Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.
“If six inches is open, that’s all he needs,” Ratigan said. “Aaron Rodgers. Almost every quarterback.”
The Ravens face the Buccaneers in Week 8. Before then, Hamilton has to to to figure out Buffalo Bills star QB Josh Allen in Week 4. Joe Burrow and the division rival Cincinnati Bengals are on the schedule twice. Baltimore hosts Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos in Week 13.
Welcome to the NFL, rookie.
Hayes can only help Hamilton so much. Hamilton understands that. He hasn’t been limited physically like Hayes was, but he has done just as much mentally to try to prepare for his first professional season.
“The margin for error is minuscule,” Hamilton said. “It’s slim. Very slim. They emphasize holding shells to the extreme because if you show an NFL quarterback what (coverage) you’re in, it’s over with.”
