Notre Dame Football: Top-25 players of the Brian Kelly era
![SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leads his team out of the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium on November 7, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images) SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leads his team out of the tunnel before the game against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium on November 7, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/a58c669b15cd11fdea670416600d2ff00bb507322502f41d5f9ca98f7291a34b.jpg)
Notre Dame Football: Top-25 players of the Brian Kelly era
8. Kyle Hamilton, S, 2019-present
- 104 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 5 INTs, 12 pass breakups
Kyle Hamilton hasn’t finished his story yet, but he will likely go to the NFL following the 2021 season, when he is first eligible, so enjoy him in action while you still can. He’s one of the best pure athletes to play at Notre Dame in recent memory and has been an erasure on the back end who can also dominate in run support for Notre Dame.
An All-ACC player in 2020, Hamilton made six different All-America teams, including the FWAA and Phil Steele first-team All-America teams. Expect Hamilton to take another step forward next season, as he’ll likely be the best safety in the country under new defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman.
This is a Notre Dame defense that is losing a lot of talent, including Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji upfront, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah at linebacker. Hamilton is going to be asked to step up and lead this defense from his safety position, and with another solid season in South Bend, could be the best defensive back ever to play for Brian Kelly.