Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton to miss rest of regular season with knee injury?

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish improved to 9-1 overall on the season via Saturday's 28-3 win at the Virginia Cavaliers and did so without starting safety Kyle Hamilton, who has been sidelined since he injured his knee playing against the USC Trojans on Oct. 23. 

Per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters Monday that Hamilton could need six weeks to recover from that setback. That timeline would keep the defensive star out through at least the remainder of the regular season. 

"This is much more about the healing around the knee itself and there's no structural damage at all," Kelly explained. "But it generally takes about six weeks. I'm not a doctor, so I don't want to give too much information here, but there's tissue and fibers, that kind of connective tissue and fiber around the joint and the knee, and they get pinched or pulled and that's the issue that has to heal, so it just takes some time."

Kelly added: "Six weeks would take him through the end of the regular season. And then we have to see where we are with College Football Playoffs, bowl games, things like that." 

Walter Football currently projects Hamilton to be the third overall selection of the 2022 NFL Draft, and multiple CBS Sports analysts predict he will be a top-five pick. 

"Hamilton is a dynamic playmaker and difference-maker," Charlie Campbell of Walter Football recently wrote. "He has phenomenal size, speed and athleticism to go along with instincts and intelligence. With his size and tackling ability, Hamilton is a highly impactful run defender who flies downhill and is capable of being the eighth man in the box. With his speed and range, Hamilton can also be a free safety who locks down the deep part of the field. 

"Hamilton also displays some ability to handle man coverage on tight ends. The only thing he does not look exceptional at is man coverage on slot receivers. Hamilton has the skill set and upside to be one of the best safeties in the NFL."

Thus far this season, Hamilton has tallied three interceptions, 34 total tackles, and four pass breakups.