Is Kyle Hamilton A Top 10 NFL Draft Pick?
We are just days removed from the 2021 NFL Draft, but draft analysts are already focused on the 2022 Draft, and Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is a popular name already.
A recent mock draft from The Athletic's Dane Brugler projected Hamilton to be a Top 10 pick in next year's draft. In fact, he has the New York Giants picking Hamilton with the 8th overall pick in his first way-too-early mock draft for 2022.
"A long, explosive safety, Hamilton is a unique athlete for his size with the competitive mentality to match. Though he has the physical skill set to be a top pick, his mental development has also been apparent during his first two seasons in South Bend." - Brugler
Hamilton was a first-team All-American by the Football Writer's Association and Phil Steele, and the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Foundation and The Athletic had him as a second-team All-American.
He returns as one of the best defensive backs in the country. Hamilton improved as an alley run defender as a sophomore, and his impact in the pass game was outstanding. If he can remain healthy and continue making strides as a player he could certainly develop into a legitimate Top 10 NFL Draft pick, which is rare for a safety.
Brugler had some intriguing projections in his first mock draft. He had Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec going to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 15th overall pick of the first round. Jurkovec, of course, transferred away from Notre Dame following the 2019 season, and he passed for 2,558 yards and accounted for 20 touchdowns in 10 games this past season, his first as a starter.
There were five players in Brugler's mock draft that will be opponents of Notre Dame this season. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell (No. 2, Detroit Lions), USC defensive end Drake Jackson (No. 7, Las Vegas Raiders), Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner (No. 17, Los Angeles Chargers) and defensive end Myjai Sanders (No. 26, Cleveland Browns) and Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (No. 19, Philadelphia Eagles) all face Notre Dame in 2021.
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