Kyle Hamilton - Pro Football Rumors

Kyle Hamilton In Danger Of Falling In The Draft?

April 1st, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

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 skillset.

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 totalled 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 fourth and tenth 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.

Jets Notes: Fatukasi, Williamses, Draft

March 8th, 2022 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Run-stuffing defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi moved into a full-time starting role last season and is now expected to generate considerable interest as a free agent. The four-year veteran started 15 games, after combining for eight starts in his first three seasons, and the Jets are prepared for the former sixth-round pick to move out of their price range when free agency opens next week, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. Although the Jets have deployed below-average defenses during Fatukasi’s two seasons as a full- or part-time starter, the UConn product has played well. Having turned 27 last week, Fatukasi should have prime years remaining. The Jets have Quinnen Williams under contract through 2023 and must make a decision on Sheldon Rankins, who will see $1.25MM of his $4.5MM base salary become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2022 league year (March 20).

Here is the latest out of New York:

Fewer than 20 teams in the common draft era (1967-present) have made two top-10 picks in a draft. The Jets have the opportunity, holding the Nos. 4 and 10 selections this year. They might face a major decision at No. 4. The Jets are high on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, but no team has chosen a safety in the top four since the Browns took Eric Turner fourth overall in 1991. Positional value would likely lean Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh to take Kayvon Thibodeaux over Hamilton at 4, in the event Aidan Hutchinson and tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal are off the board, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Thibodeaux’s stock has taken somewhat of a hit, but the Oregon edge rusher still figures to be an early pick.
The Jets are picking up Quinnen Williams‘ fifth-year option, keeping the 2019 No. 3 overall pick under contract through 2023. A 2022 extension for the D-tackle starter does not sound especially likely, with Cimini noting the Jets are not in a hurry to hammer out a long-term deal. This is unsurprising, considering teams rarely extend first-round non-quarterbacks with two years of control remaining on their rookie contracts.
Quinnen’s older brother, Quincy Williams, will play for more money in 2022. Under the NFL’s player-performance escalator provision, the young linebacker will see his 2022 salary spike from $965K to $2.54MM, Cimini tweets. Acquired from the Jaguars last year, Quincy Williams earned sufficient playing time to qualify for the bump. The Murray State product started 13 games alongside his brother and enjoyed by far his most productive season yet, recording 110 tackles and two sacks in his first Jets season. His rookie deal runs through 2022.

Jets Eyeing S Kyle Hamilton At No. 4?

February 24th, 2022 at 10:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Defense is thought to be the top priority for the Jets this offseason, in part because of the team’s struggles on that side of the ball in 2021, but also due to the particular strengths of the upcoming draft class. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the team has a strong interest in Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the first of their two top-ten picks.

The Jets’ first selection is No. 4, which will give them plenty of options to choose from. As Cimini writes, though, the team is said to “like Hamilton a lot”. The six-foot-four, 219 pound Golden Domer is seen by some as the top overall prospect in the class, and has already been linked to New York in the run-up to the draft.

In only seven games in his final college season, Hamilton recorded three interceptions and four pass deflections. Overall, his three years saw him total 138 tackles, eight picks and 16 pass breakups in 31 contests. His combination of production, size, versatility and football IQ have him in line to be one of the most impactful rookies in 2022, especially if he does end up in the Big Apple, considering the Jets ranked second-last in the NFL with seven interceptions last year.

The Jets could experience some trepidation regarding the selection of a safety, given they took the since-departed Jamal Adams sixth overall in 2017. The memory of that process, coupled with the general devaluation of the position, could alternatively steer general manager Joe Douglas towards an edge rusher like Kayvon Thibodeaux to help a pass rush that produced 33 sacks last campaign. A cornerback such as Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner could be another option in the secondary. The other prospects, it seems, could have ground to make up behind Hamilton from the Jets’ perspective.

Jets Rumors: Draft, Hamilton, Thibodeaux

February 6th, 2022 at 4:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are high on safety Kyle Hamilton, according to sources who spoke with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Armed with picks Nos. 4 and 10, the Notre Dame standout should be there for Gang Green, if that’s who they want to take. Still, with several weeks to go between now and the draft, the Jets have ample time to consider all of their options, including players at more premium positions.

Here’s more out of East Rutherford, via Cimini:

The Jets are “always looking at” big defensive linemen, as head coach Robert Saleh noted recently, and that could lead them to Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. Cimini hears that the Jets would be hard-pressed to pass on him if he slips to No. 4. He’s long been thought to be a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, but it’s definitely possible that Thibodeaux could fall to the Jets at No. 4.
Some insiders believe that GM Joe Douglas will zero in on the offensive line with a tackle at one of their two Top 10 picks. That’ll largely be dictated by the George Fant / Mekhi Becton situation, Cimini hears. The Jets may opt to leave Fant on the left side and move Becton to the right. If they follow through on that, that’s a sign that the Jets are losing confidence in Becton’s ability to shed weight and, by extension, his long-term potential.
While some see the cornerback position as a major draft target, Saleh continues to pump up his current trio of Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, and Michael Carter II. “The challenge for those three is to find the ball. Once they do that, they’ll be right there with the upper echelon of the league.” Combined, the three CBs tallied just two interceptions last year.
Braxton Berrios could be too rich for the Jets’ blood this offseason. One agent predicted that the speedy wideout will look for top slot money, which would put him at ~$9MM/year.
Jets tight ends coach Ron Middleton is fond of Colorado State’s Trey McBride and Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert, but it’s not clear if the scouting department likes either player enough in Round 2. The Jets could pass on that group of pass-catching TEs, Cimini hears, which would prompt them to spend in free agency instead.

Lions “Open For Business” On No. 2 Pick

February 4th, 2022 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

While it’s still early days when it comes to the draft process for 2022, Lions general manager Brad Holmes has made it clear that he’s not leaving out any options during the offseason, even with regards to the team’s second overall pick in April. He stated the team is “definitely open for business” when asked about the availability of that selection (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

During an interview with Pelissero at the Senior Bowl, Holmes said “I’m never scared to move around” during the draft. In a year without a consensus top choice, not to mention one where Detroit has another first round pick (as a result of the Jared Goff trade), moving down the board would make a good degree of sense.

The two highest-rated prospects in this year’s class, according to most, are edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aidan Hutchinson. While the Lions would be guaranteed at least one of them by remaining at No. 2, they could end up with both being on the board if the Jaguars use the first pick on Alabama tackle Evan Neal, as some believe they will.

Prioritizing the defense in the draft would certainly make sense for the Lions, as they finished 31st in the league in points allowed in 2021. That could still be accomplished with the likes of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. or safety Kyle Hamilton, though, if the team moved down slightly.

With plenty of holes to fill this offseason, Detroit has a number of decisions to make to rebound from the first season of the Dan Campbell era. Flexibility in the draft would certainly go a long way to helping rebuild the roster, even if it were to mean moving out of a top-two draft slot.

Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton To Enter NFL Draft

December 10th, 2021 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Kyle Hamilton is going pro. On Friday, the Notre Dame safety confirmed that he will forgo the rest of his eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hamilton, long been pegged as a potential Top 10 pick, will also skip the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State in order to protect his pro career. The 6’4″ safety has been lauded for his range, versatility, and advanced football IQ. Even scouts who have kept a watchful eye on him tend to forget that he’s still only 20 years of age and won’t turn 21 until March.

Hamilton posted 34 tackles, three interceptions, and four passes defensed in just seven games. He should impress even more at the combine when he displays his reported 40-inch vertical leap.

Along with Hamilton, Notre Dame will also lose running back Kyren Williams to the draft. Williams impressed with over 1,000 rushing yards this season and 4.9 yards-per-carry on average. He also added 42 grabs for 359 yards and three receiving TDs for good measure.