The Notre Dame football team has recruited hundreds, even thousands, of players into the NFL over the years. However, the number of defenders who are among the best in the entire league is quite a bit smaller.
There is little doubt that Kyle Hamilton is among that smaller number. The defensive back was a playmaker for the Fighting Irish and the Baltimore Ravens.
He demonstrated the kind of playmaker he is once again this past Sunday, even if the plays weren't enough to get his team the win. And while that loss to the Cleveland Browns is going to hurt for a while, Hamilton did show that he needs to be in the conversation for NFL Defensive Player of the Year again.
Ex-Notre Dame football star shines once again for NFL team
Against the Browns, Hamilton recorded 10 tackles, 2 passes defended, a sack, and a forced fumble. That performance was a big climb over the last two weeks after Hamilton’s numbers started slipping slightly.
It was the second straight week that he recorded double-digit tackles. He’s now got 57 tackles on the season in just 8 games. Based on PFF rankings, he’s also the second-highest-rated defender on the entire team. He’s also the highest-rated run defense number among the Ravens.
The former Notre Dame football star has an overall number of 79.3, an 84 rating on run defense, and an 85.1 pass rush rating (also the highest on the team). He’s doing all of this for a Baltimore Ravens team that has looked like a Super Bowl contender, even with the loss to the Browns.