Notre Dame Football: Kyle Hamilton could be top DB off the board in 2022
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame Football program saw nine players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, and in 2022, Kyle Hamilton should be the first one off the board.
The Notre Dame Football program had their Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, May 1, which just happened to coincide with the last day of the 2021 NFL Draft. As the program tried to answer questions inside Notre Dame Stadium, former Irish players were realizing their NFL dreams.
Across the three-day event, the Notre Dame Football program saw nine players selected, including left tackle Liam Eichenberg, who was the first player from the Irish off the board. Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was supposed to be the first player off the board, but a “heart issue” decimated his draft stock, and he fell to No. 52 overall.
In fact, no member of the program was drafted in the first round, something that is certain to change when the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around.
Notre Dame Football star could be the first DB off the board
Looking at some recent 2022 NFL Mock Draft, which is way too early to really dive into, Kyle Hamilton going in the first round is one of the few constants outside of which quarterbacks are currently expected to come off the board early. In fact, looking at most mock drafts, Hamilton is one of the first defensive players off the board, and in some cases, the first defensive back.
There are some solid cornerbacks in next year’s class, and a few other first-round safeties, but as of now, it seems like Hamilton is the cream of the crop. After missing out on a first-round selection the past two seasons, getting one of the Irish players within the first 32 picks would be huge for the program.
For the Irish to do anything special on that side of the ball in 2021, they are going to need Hamilton to play at the same level as he did last season. Notre Dame is replacing a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but Hamilton is a cornerstone of this team heading into the summer months, and when all is said and done, he could be a top-10 pick in next year’s draft.