Less than one month from the 2022 Draft, there are a number of questions surrounding some of this year’s top prospects. While much has been said about the possibility of edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux falling down the board, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton may have joined him in that regard.
As noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid and Matt Miller, the defensive back faces a number of factors currently hurting his stock. The first — and the one which was always going to be a concern, regardless of his pre-draft testing — is his position. The very fact that he is a safety (albeit one who is lauded for his versatility) has led many to believe his overall position in the draft order would undersell his skill set.
Secondly, Miller notes that Hamilton had “an uneven showing at his pro day.” That has amplified concerns related to his athletic profile, something which isn’t helped by the knee injury which ended his third and final season with the Fighting Irish. As a result of those factors, Miller writes that “it’s possible he falls all the way into the second half of Round 1.” While that would represent a considerable slide from his once-presumed top-five status, the insider further states that “the consensus around the league is that a drop is expected.”
In three seasons at Notre Dame, the six-foot-four, 219-pounder totaled 138 tackles and eight interceptions. That production, coupled with his positional flexibility and leadership has led to a connection with the Jets on multiple occasions. New York currently holds the No. 4 and No. 10 overall picks, but if their view of Hamilton becomes more congruent with that of the rest (or at least a sizeable portion) of the league, he may find himself waiting until after their selections to hear his name called.
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