Notre Dame football: Kyle Hamilton lands in Baltimore at pick No. 14
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program ended its first-round drought on Thursday, as Kyle Hamilton was selected with the No. 14 overall pick.
For the Notre Dame football team, it has been a few years since they saw one of their own selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In fact, it has not been since Jerry Tillery in the 2019 NFL Draft that the Irish have been represented on Day 1.
On Thursday night, that all changed, as Kyle Hamilton was selected as the No. 14 overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens. Hamilton, widely considered a top-5 talent in this draft class, and someone who many felt was the best defensive player in this draft class, instantly becomes a player to watch with a playoff contender.
For weeks, we have discussed how high Hamilton could go, and some even felt he could end up as the No. 2 overall pick to the Detroit Lions. Detroit used that pick on Michigan star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, a player who was considered the No. 1 overall pick for weeks heading into the draft.
He was surpassed by Travon Walker from Georgia, who went No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Notre Dame football star instantly improves the defense
The Ravens championship teams have been built on their defenses, and in Hamilton, they get a player who could have All-Pro potential right out of the gate. Hamilton, standing 6-foot-4, is a ball-hawking safety who can play sideline to sideline, and his presence could mean the difference between being a Wild Card team, and winning the AFC North for Baltimore.
This is a dream come true for Hamilton, who joins an organization that has produced so many Hall of Famers on that side of the ball. Hamilton will join former teammate Daelin Hayes, a 2021 draft pick of the Ravens on this Baltimore defense, and you can be sure he will slide right into a starting position for head coach John Harbaugh.