Kyle Hamilton's Mind Is Ravens Greatest Asset In More Ways Than One

Long known as a wunderkind, second-year safety Kyle Hamilton has the Baltimore Ravens defense making NFL history with his combination of elite talent, and stunning intellect.

Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton has always been successful at everything he's tried. 

Whether it was his extremely high IQ at a young age, prowess on the trombone, and being a multi-sport athlete growing up, the All-Pro safety has been able to excel at any stop he's been at. 

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The multi-tool person that Hamilton is has helped him on the football field - especially since being drafted with the 14th overall pick in 2022. While listed as a safety, the Notre Dame product has played corner, pass rusher, and linebacker.

There's no doubt why the second-year veteran earned his first All-Pro nomination in 2023 then with 81 tackles, three sacks, four interceptions, and 13 passes defences. Playing several different positions has not only allowed him to succeed, but for the defense as a whole to set an NFL record as the first team to lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and turnovers. 

"They complement each other,” Hamilton said regarding the many positions he plays. “They give me a better grasp of the whole defense, allowing me to see where everybody’s gonna be and how I can fit off that.”

Being flexible to play many positions and sports was something Hamilton always had. His older brother received a college scholarship for basketball, and his father, Derrek, was drafted by the New Jersey Nets while having a successful pro career overseas. 

Off the court, Hamilton qualified for Mensa (the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world) with a standard IQ of 132 while he was just in the third grade. 

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Some people are just naturally gifted in everything they do. Hamilton is one of those rare individuals who has not only become a wunderkind off the field but mixes that with being the highest-graded safety Pro Football Focus has given since they started giving our grades in 2014. 

He's a big reason why the Ravens entire the AFC Divisional Round as the conference's top overall seed, and he's a major reason why they are favored to represent the conference in Super Bowl LVIII.