Notre Dame football: Could Kyle Hamilton go No. 2 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft?
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program will snap their first-round drought in the 2022 NFL Draft, but how high can Kyle Hamilton go?
It has been two full NFL Drafts since the Notre Dame football team had a player go in the first round, though last year, it was a given that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah would be a first-round pick. Seen by some as a top-10 selection, JOK fell to Day 2 due to an issue found during the draft process, but as he has shown during his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns, he most definitely should have been a first-round pick.
In a recent three-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft by Cam Mellor from Pro Football Network, not only is Hamilton picked in the first round, but he goes No. 2 overall to Detroit. That would be the highest a Notre Dame football player has been picked since Quenton Nelson went No. 6 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Other Notre Dame football stars selected in mock
Also getting selected within this mock draft are three members of the Irish who are picked in the third round. Kyren Williams goes No. 68 overall to the New York Jets, filling a major void at running back, while Jarrett Patterson shares MetLife Stadium with Williams, selected No. 79 to the New York Giants.
Finally, Isaiah Foskey goes No. 95 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs, and they could certainly use his help, as they have struggled to get a consistent pass rush all season long. Foskey has been a bright spot for the Notre Dame defense, showing the ability to get after the quarterback, while raising his draft status in a big way this year.
All told, this would be an excellent run on Notre Dame football players across the first two days of the 2022 NFL Draft. As we stated earlier, it has been quite some time since the Irish have had a first-round pick, and in Hamilton, they may just have their best NFL prospect since Nelson.