Ravens Safety Explains Kyle Hamilton's Rise to Stardom

Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams has seen his partner in crime grow at an astounding rate.

Nov 26, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) and safety Marcus Williams (32) block a pass intended for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Jalen Guyton (15) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Just two years into his NFL career, Baltimore Ravens star Kyle Hamilton has established himself as one of the best safeties in the league, if not the very best.

The former Notre Dame star was widely seen as a top-10 pick in the 2022 draft, but fell right into the Ravens' laps at No. 14. The rest of the league has quickly grown to regret letting Hamilton go to Baltimore, as he's coming off a first-team All-Pro season in which he had 81 total tackles, 13 passes defended and four interceptions.

No one has seen more of Hamilton's rise to stardom more than fellow safety Marcus Williams, who also came to Baltimore in 2022. The veteran safety has helped out his younger teammate when needed, but for the most part, Hamilton's ascension to the NFL's elite has come due to his own hard work.

"Kyle [Hamilton] has always been a good player. He's worked his butt off day in and day out. I mean, I've helped him here and there, but that's all his doing; that's his work, his offseason work, his film room work," Williams told reporters Thursday. "I don't take credit for any of the stuff that he's done. He's a great player, and he's put in the time and the effort to go out there and make those plays. He's confident, and you see that by his play. So, [with] him just putting that time in and respecting the process, he comes out there, and he performs."

When both Hamilton and Williams are on the field, the Ravens have the consensus best safety duo in the league. However, any NFL player or team can change their perception in the blink of an eye, so the Ravens stars aren't content to rest on their laurels.

"Rankings don't mean anything. Performance from last year is not performance from this year. We know what we can do. We know what type of players we are. We're confident in ourselves. I mean, I think I'm the best; [Kyle Hamilton] thinks he's the best; everybody thinks they're the best. But who performs the best? So, I think our expectation is to be our best, to excel past our best and go out there and perform and help us win some games."

Williams has been great through his first two years in Baltimore, but he's battled injuries each season. Now that he's healthy, Williams expects even more out of himself this year.

"I've been myself. This has been me. When you ask about injuries, I'm going to tell you the same thing. I've been me. This is me. I'm just [going to] continue to get better."

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