Ravens Coach Showers Secondary With Lofty Praise

"I think guys like Kyle and some guys that were here before Kyle, guys like Ed, per se, they pick up the defense so fast," Pagano said. "They're out there, and they're not thinking about our calls. They're not thinking about our scheme. Now, early on, probably [in] Year One [or] Year Two, but right now, where he is at in the phase of his football life, what he's doing [is] he's diagnosing the situation. He knows the down and distance. He knows the personnel group that's in the huddle. He can see and recognize a formation. So, he's one step ahead."

Reed became one of the greatest ballhawks of all time and the most feared defenders of his era, who even the current G.O.A.T. player, Tom Brady, had to account for on every play because of how he prepared prior to stepping on the field. He finished his career with the sixth-most interceptions in league history with 64, and while Hamilton has a long way to go to even reach half as many with just five in his first three seasons, he possesses all the intangibles to become the next great Ravens safety.

"Behind the scenes, Kyle prepares as good as anybody," Pagano said. "He watches a ton of film, so he's got almost every play kind of whittled down to one or two plays in every situation, so [it] gives him a chance to make plays."

Starks is another member of the unit that Pagano can't rave enough about, as the former University of Georgia star is slated to be a Day 1 starter as a rookie for the Ravens and believes he has the acumen to transition smoothly into a full-time role at this level.

"He has been awesome the whole time, but I think the game has really slowed down for him," Pagano said. "He's done a great job and picked up our defense. So, like I talked about [with] Kyle [Hamilton] earlier, he's now starting to be able to take the next step. He [was at] level 100 [and] level 200, [but] now he's getting into 300-level courses and [is] able to play a lot faster, play situations better, play down and distances, personnel groups and all those kinds of things. So, the game's really slowing down for him. He's just a natural back there. [He is a] really, really smart guy."

The pairing of Hamilton and Starks has the potential to be the best safety tandem in the league with the multitude of ways they both can be deployed and can impact the game. Combined with the talent the Ravens have stockpiled at cornerback, this unit can not only be the strength of the defense as a whole but also be one of the main catalysts in the team being able to finally break through and make it to the Super Bowl.