Pro Bowl voting opened up recently and there are several Baltimore Ravens (9–3) who look likely to be selected for one of the coveted All-Star Game roster spots.
One of them, second-year safety Kyle Hamilton, has had arguably the most growth of all his Ravens teammates this season.
While some might be surprised in the Baltimore defender’s development, his position group coach is not one of them.
“I told you from the beginning, in my first presser in the beginning of the year, I told you that [Kyle Hamilton] was going to be a Pro-Bowl type of player,” Ravens pass game coordinator/secondary coach Chris Hewitt said. “He does everything; he covers, he blitzes [and] he tackles. There’s nothing that kid can’t do. A lot of things that people don’t realize about him is…Don’t let the babyface fool you. He’ll try to rip your face off. He’s a great player.”
In 12 games this season Hamilton has two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, has defended nine other passes, sacked opposing quarterbacks three times, has eight tackles for loss, and 62 total tackles.
All of those are tied for or already career highs.
But the growth hasn’t come without some struggle, and Hamilton’s rookie season featured some hurdles that the player himself has acknowledged needing to clear.
“When you come in as a rookie, it’s overwhelming,” Hewitt says. “You’re learning a new playbook, you're playing against guys that are the top players in the world, and it’s an adjustment. Going through it the first part of the year, [in] new system, being able to adjust, and then after that…Kyle Hamilton has unbelievable ability, so I don't care where you put him. He was going to shine. But, he’s just grown over the last two years in the position he’s playing. He’s playing safety as well as playing nickel corner. So, just the amount of reps that he’s gotten at that same position, that’s the reason why he’s grown and playing as well as he has. It’s the reps.”
Obviously Hamilton has the Ravens and his coach feeling good about the direction he is headed, and fans of the player or team can vote to make the Pro Bowl statements made earlier this year a reality by going to this link.
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