NFL Draft: Should Texans Be All In On Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton At No. 3?
HOUSTON -- New Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith loves his defensive backs. Throughout his illustrious career, he's worked with plenty of standouts at both safety and cornerback and sees the value of a strong secondary.
Yes, the Texans should be glued to the film when scouting Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. If the franchise elects to stay at No. 3 in this NFL Draft, he very well could be the pick.
Hamilton didn't wow the scouts Sunday with his on-field reps at the NFL Combine. He also didn't need a strong showcase to solidify his status as the top safety. While he clocked at 4.59 in the 40, he seemingly moves faster on the field.
The measurables alone make Hamilton an intriguing player for teams selecting in the top 10. Coming in at 6-4 and weighing 220 pounds, the former Fighting Irish defender showed he's a combination of size, speed and agility.
New Houston safeties coach Joe Danna recently said he simply wants playmakers on the backend. Hamilton fits the criteria, regardless of what a stopwatch suggests.
He hits like a linebacker, yet has the coverage skills of a cornerback. During his three seasons at Notre Dame, Hamilton was versatile as well. He took reps at strong safety near the line of scrimmage. He also lined up in zone coverage as the team's free safety.
Although promoted to head coach, Smith will continue to call the defense. He could be looking for his own version of John Lynch or Aeneas Williams, two Hall of Fame defensive backs he coached in Tampa Bay and St. Louis, respectively.
One way or another, Houston is in the market at safety. Justin Reid is expected to test free agency. Eric Murray could be released, saving the Texans $5.5 million in cap space.
Hamilton was limited to seven games last season due to a knee injury. When on the field, though, he was productive, recording 34 tackles, four pass breakups and three interceptions.
Smith has been vocal about defensive players who can cause turnovers. In the first year under Smith, Houston finished with 25 takeaways, tied for 10th-most in the league. The team recorded 17 interceptions, the eighth-most among all clubs.
“We put a big emphasis on that (takeaways), but we won’t try to bring anyone in and add them to our mix if they don’t like to tackle,” Smith said. “We ask our corners to tackle. They have ball skills of course, but it still comes down to whether you can play man coverage a lot."
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The Texans very well could target different positions outside of safety on Day 1. Sources have told TexansDaily.com that the team is willing to move Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil for the right price, making tackle a potential need. The top two pass rushers are also expected to be in play at No. 3.
If Smith is looking for a chess-piece defender, Hamilton could be the pick. The defense is looking for talent, and few are as skilled the defensive back who some are calling the top player in the class.
