Ravens Safety Kyle Hamilton Wins AFC Defensive Player Of The Week After 2-INT Night

Is Kyle Hamilton the best defensive player on the Baltimore Ravens? The latest award given to the second-year safety might prove that to be the case.

When the Baltimore Ravens drafted Kyle Hamilton with the 14th overall pick last season, the belief was that the team stole one of the best safety prospects in modern history. 

Through his two years in the Charm City, Hamilton's play has been even better than anything head coach John Harbaugh or the team's front office could have hoped. 

Kyle Hamilton / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Hamilton won the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week Award for his two-interception game against the San Francisco 49ers that saw the Ravens blow out the NFC leaders 33-19. During the win, Hamilton also notched five tackles and three pass breakups.

His interceptions were just two of the eventual five Baltimore forced on the collection of quarterbacks San Francisco threw out there including former MVP front-runner Brock Purdy. 

In 15 starts this season, the Notre Dame product has tallied 81 combined tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, 10 tackles for losses, and 13 pass breakups. When on the field for the Ravens, Hamilton's unit has given up an opponent's passer rating of just 75.7 (Oppenent's pass ratings increase to 96.1 when Hamilton isn't on the field). 

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Despite the success Hamilton has had this season, he did miss Wednesday's practice with a knee injury he suffered in Baltimore's win on Christmas Day. 

Harbaugh later said that the knee injury "doesn't look bad" and is "fairly optimistic" that the second-year safety could play on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.