Former Notre Dame star earns spot on a list every player wants to be on as he continues to assert his dominance on the NFL

A consistent part of every offseason is when Pro Football Focus (PFF) releases their top 25 players under 25 list. This gives NFL and college football fans the opportunity to appreciate some of the top young talent from around the league. On Monday, PFF released their 2025 version, and it included a former Notre Dame star. 

Baltimore Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton made the list, coming in as the No. 3 overall player on the list. Hamilton was just behind Detroit Lions right tackle Penei Sewell and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. That means that Hamilton was rated as the top defender under 25 years of age. 

Here’s what PFF had to say about Hamilton, and his inclusion on this list. 

3. S KYLE HAMILTON, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Three-year grade: 92.0 

Snaps played since 2022: 2,815

Average WAR since 2022: 0.39

Hamilton has quickly established himself as one of the league’s top safeties, finishing in the top three at his position in at least one of PFF overall grade, PFF coverage grade and PFF run-defense grade in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Hamilton’s versatility makes him one of the most valuable safeties in the league, and he even brings pass-rush upside, having generated 36 pressures and seven sacks in his NFL career.

As the passage mentioned, Hamilton is an incredibly versatile athlete. That’s a huge reason why Hamilton was selected with the No. 14 overall selection of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Ravens. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, Hamilton is the rare athlete who can make plays from depth, while also creating mismatch opportunities. The versatility he possesses is unreal. 

In three seasons on the NFL level, Hamilton has been named to two Pro Bowls and named an All-Pro once. Over the course of his career, Hamilton has managed to collect 250 total tackles, five interceptions, 27 passes defended, 18 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles. The former Irish great has seen time at safety, nickel, and some on the second level during his career so far. 

Despite an injury riddled final season with Notre Dame, Hamilton had an outstanding three-year run with the program. The Georgia native was able to make 138 total tackles, eight interceptions, 16 passes defended, and eight tackles for loss. He did that in just 31 total games. 

The talent was also evident when watching Hamilton during his time in the blue and gold. He has managed to really hit his ceiling with the Ravens, and he is already one of the better defenders in the NFL. At just 24 years old, we still haven’t seen the best version of Hamilton.