Elite Safety Duo Leading Baltimore Ravens Defense
The Baltimore Ravens have had one of the best defenses in football this season. They lead the NFL in sacks (44), they're second in yards allowed per game (273.5) and third in points allowed per game (16.1).
The Ravens' (8-3) defensive unit has been anchored by one of the best safety duos in football with Geno Stone and Kyle Hamilton. Their success has come in different ways, with Stone leading all safeties with a 90.0 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus. He leads the NFL with six interceptions this season, which is more than nine NFL teams total.
Hamilton has the best pass-rushing grade among safeties with a 93.6 by PFF, and he leads the position with three sacks, all of which came on Sept. 24 against the Indianapolis Colts. The second-year safety also has two interceptions, including a pick-six this season.
The duo's path to becoming a focal point on one of the most dominant units in football couldn't have been any different. Stone, 24, was a seventh-round pick out of Iowa in 2020 and was even cut by Baltimore multiple times in his rookie season and spent time with the Houston Texans before re-signing with the Ravens the following offseason.
Geno Stone only had one interception in his career before this season.
USA Today Sports
With multiple injuries to Marcus Williams this season, Stone hasn't just capitalized on the opportunity, he has thrived as the best ball-hawking safety in football this year.
Hamilton, 22, was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. While first-round picks are expected to produce, Hamilton has made a huge jump from playing 53 percent of the Ravens' defensive snaps as a rookie to 96 percent this season and has made the leap many expect out of a second-year player who was an early first-round pick.
If Stone and Hamilton can continue to produce like they have this season, they're capable of leading many elite Ravens' defenses for years to come.
