Where Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton appears in mock drafts following NFL Combine performance: Part 2
As we move away from last weekend’s NFL Combine, new NFL mock drafts are starting to come out from the nation’s experts. Irish safety Kyle Hamilton finds himself in all of them, albeit in various locations. BlueandGold.com‘s Patrick Engel wrote a piece on Tuesday detailing potential landing spots for Hamilton, and there was a big update to add to the list on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest mock draft, and he believes Hamilton will go No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions.
“No, the 4.59-second 40-yard dash doesn’t bother me,” McShay said. “Hamilton plays fast on tape, and you don’t come across 6-foot-4, 220-pound safeties with his range, explosion (38-inch vertical jump) and ball skills (three interceptions and four passes defensed in seven 2021 games) very often.
“The Lions’ pass defense struggled mightily in 2021, giving up 5.9 yards per play (29th) and 26.9 points per game (28th). Opposing quarterbacks teed off on them with the third-best opponent QBR (53.4). Hamilton closes like a heat-seeking missile, and his playmaking would be welcomed in Detroit.”
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McShay added he considered EDGE rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon and Travon Walker from Georgia in this spot before settling on Hamilton. Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson is the No. 1 overall selection in McShay’s draft; he has him going to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
CBS analysts torn on Hamilton’s next destination
Engel cited CBS’ Ryan Wilson in his article from Tuesday, and Wilson thinks Hamilton will go to the Carolina Panthers with the sixth overall selection. But three additional analysts from CBS have different thoughts on Hamilton’s new spot.
CBS NFL Draft analyst Chris Trapasso and CBS NFL Draft editor Kyle Stackpole think Hamilton is New York bound, as the Jets will use their No. 4 overall pick on the safety.
“New York finished dead last in total defense a year ago, and Hamilton is a player who can boost every level of the unit,” Stackpole said.
CBS NFL Draft writer Josh Edwards thinks he will end up in New York as well but with the Giants for their second selection.
“The thought is that Hamilton essentially replaces (safety) Jabrill Peppers, who is scheduled to hit free agency,” Edwards said. “The Notre Dame product is arguably the most talented player in the draft and the Giants land him at No. 7 overall.”
Wilson, Trapasso, Stackpole and Edwards each compared Hamilton to five-time first-team All-Pro safety Ed Reed. That’s certainly a good sign for his future.
