Would Ravens Be Willing to Trade Up in Draft for Playmaking Safety?
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens need to add a young a safety in this year's draft, so they might be enticed to make a move for one of college's top playmakers.
Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton has the potential to be a solid NFL player for years to come.
However, he likely won't be around when the Ravens make the 14th overall selection.
Would general manager Eric DeCosta be tempted to trade up if Hamilton somehow falls to No. 10?
"So why is Hamilton a fit with the Ravens? During his last season at Notre Dame, he spent 20% of his snaps in the box, 27% as a deep safety and 51% in the slot," Pro Football Focus' Conor McQuiston wrote. "Coupling this extreme versatility with his athletic numbers reported by Bruce Feldman in his annual “Freaks List,” there is plenty of reason to believe he can do anything a defense asks him. This doesn’t even mention his ludicrous production statistics, such as his run defense stuff rate, which ranked 39th among all 348 defensive backs that have been drafted since 2015.
"He is particularly interesting with the Ravens because he would be playing with one of the more creative defensive minds in football — Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who was more multiple with his single-high and two-high safety looks at Michigan. Macdonald would deploy Hamilton in a variety of roles and solve problems wherever they arise."
Last season, Hamilton, 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, had 35 tackles, including two for loss, with three interceptions. He has exceptional range and is a solid hitter. Hamilton has drawn comparisons to Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons
His accolades included:
- Phil Steele All-American First Team
- Phil Steele All-Independent First Team
- AFCA All-American First Team
- Associated Press Second Team All-American
- FWAA First Team All-American
- Bednarik Award Finalist
As result, Hamilton could be the highest-drafted safety in more than 30 years, perhaps as high as the second overall selection. That would rule out any chance to be drafted by the Ravens
