Rookie Kyle Hamilton Was Ravens Best Defender in Week 8

Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton shines.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens rookie Kyle Hamilton is stacking solid games. 

The safety was the Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded Raven defender in a 27-22 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8. 

Hamilton played:

• 31 coverage snaps 

• 4 targets 

• 1 PD 

• 15 yards allowed 

Hamilton can play in deep coverage and he has the size to match up against tight ends. 

"That’s one of the reasons we loved him so much coming out of the Draft, is he’s so versatile," defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald said. "So, hopefully we can start to unlock him as the season goes on, and you’ll see him in different spots where you might not have expected earlier, so that will be cool to see."

The @Ravens offensive line has bullied opponents over the past several games and rookie center Tyler Linderbaum has helped set the tone for that group. #RavensFlock https://t.co/wA9sRZDuWO via @toddkarpovich

— Todd Karpovich (@toddkarpovich) October 30, 2022

With Marcus Williams out indefinitely with a fractured write, the Ravens have needed Hamilton to step and play better football and he has responded.

Last season at Notre Dame, 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.

The Ravens weren't in the market for a safety with Williams and Chuck Clark patrolling the secondary.

However, they had little choice but to take Hamilton with the 14th overall pick when he fell to them. Some pundits claimed that Hamilton was the best overall player in this year's draft. 

That decision is starting to pay off for the Ravens as Hamilton is starting to adjust to the speed of the NFL. The team has also put him in a position to succeed.