Is Notre Dame Safety Kyle Hamilton Worth a Top-3 Pick from Lions?
Detroit (0-5) looks like it is well on its way to securing a top-three pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Will it go quarterback, or might it go with Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton?
It is no secret the Lions' play at safety has been atrocious the past couple of seasons. It is a big reason the Lions' mailing address has become the basement of the NFC North.
For three years now, I have given Lions safety Will Harris an "F" for a grade, and yet, there he is, still starting. And, we continue to see No. 25 put on the brakes every week, when he should instead be stepping on the gas.
Safety Tracy Walker has more pure athletic range and ability, but he too has shown a tendency to be far too tentative and reactive.
It is just hard to win in the National Football League with nine men on the field. The play at safety for the Lions has been underwhelming, to say the least.
The position has, in fact, been the Achilles' heel of the Lions. It is an underrated and very important position. Safeties are depended upon to provide support in both pass coverage and on running plays.
Detroit has little-to-no chance of climbing out of the NFC North cellar until management finally gets around to addressing this need, and Hamilton is sitting there, dangling from the tree of prospects.
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Undoubtedly, picking Hamilton would not be nearly as sexy as selecting quarterback Malik Willis from Liberty. However, it would address a desperate need for the Lions, in a pass-happy league.
Now the question becomes the following: Is Hamilton worth a top-three pick?
Absolutely not.
You know what they say about first impressions, right?
When first turning on the game film and honing in on Hamilton vs. Florida State (2021 game film), these were my first impressions: "Athletic, heady, knows how to take good angles and get into position. But, not aggressive enough in taking on blocks or in run support."
Then, it happened with 10:48 to go in the second quarter against FSU.
There was a play we have been watching for the past three seasons in Detroit. Hamilton took his foot off the gas and jogged, while pursuing a receiver who was running full speed down the field and closing in on the end zone. That one play was enough to take Hamilton off my draft board.
The absolute last thing Detroit needs is a first-round pick who does not consistently go full speed. No team is going to change a culture by drafting guys who are inconsistent in terms of effort.
I am old-school. It does not matter how athletic a player looks running around little orange cones in gym shorts. The game film is what matters.
Detroit does not need athletes. Detroit needs football players who want to win and show they want to win.
Aggression is synonymous with great safety play. I struggle observing and scouting these finesse, athletic safeties who do everything they can to keep their jerseys clean, while trying to prolong their careers.
In that same game at the 11:48 mark (second quarter), Hamilton got shoved out of the way by a receiver, as the the ball-carrier ran past him.
Does one or two plays define a player? No. But, I believe every play provide clues to a bigger puzzle.
Yes, Hamilton does indeed have the elite range, which showed up on those two interceptions against FSU. However, I was not particularly fond of the celebration when he ripped off his helmet and strutted around after one of those interceptions.
At the 6:01 mark (fourth quarter), Hamilton was seen running as fast as he could pre-snap trying to get into position, as if he didn't know his assignment. Ironically, on this play, Hamilton showed the world how fast he can really run when he sets his mind to it.
The 2021 Purdue game was much of the same. He showed the same high-end ball skills, but again showed hesitation and questionable instincts outside of the plays he did make. Hamilton hesitated big time in support at the 13:50 mark in the third quarter, too.
Detroit can ill-afford to get it wrong in next year's draft, and I would project Hamilton to become an underachiever who would be the wrong fit for the current Lions culture with Dan Campbell at the helm.
