Kyle Hamilton has been one of the best safeties in the league since being drafted in 2022.
Kyle Hamilton gets high praise from the league due to his versatility. After all, he is three-time All Pro. He is in the conversation for being the best safety in the league.
According to an ESPN article, sources from around the league believe he’s best. Hamilton was ranked as the number 1 safety in the league according to executives, coaches, and scouts.
“Hamilton remains a bright spot on what was a disjointed Ravens defense in 2025,” Jeremy Fowler wrote in the ESPN article. “He dominated the first-place votes for the second consecutive year after helping Baltimore hold opposing quarterbacks to a 49 QBR when he’s on the field versus a 90 QBR when he’s off it.”
Kyle Hamilton’s Versatility
Hamilton is known for playing multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball. You could think of him as a freelance safety with the way he lines up all over the field.
He’s known for his great coverage skills, lining up at the line of scrimmage as an edge rusher does, and he can play in the middle like a linebacker.
“Through his first three years (2022-24), Hamilton was the only defensive back to produce at least 15 tackles for loss, five sacks and five interceptions,” Fowler wrote. “That body of work earned him a four-year, $104 million extension. He followed that up with a first-team All-Pro performance.”
“In 2023, his versatility was central to the Ravens’ success, which included them ranking first in points allowed,” Eamon Cassels wrote in an Ebony Bird article. “Then, in back-to-back years, the Ravens changed his role during the middle of the season, and both times this adjustment saved their defense. Specifically, in 2024, they deployed him further back in the secondary to stabilize their pass defense, and in 2025, they did the opposite — moved him closer to the line of scrimmage to help stabilize their pass rush and run defense.”
Kyle Hamilton Expected to Thrive in 2026
With Jesse Minter as the defensive play-caller, Hamilton may be in for his best season yet. His impact goes well beyond the box score. The former Notre Dame standout seems to have no weakness in his game as a safety.
“His size and physicality stand out,” an AFC offensive coach said in the ESPN article. “He’s that big-bodied DB who can play nickel or safety that teams are looking for. He’s a talented cover player, but his ability to play the run at the point of attack and his effectiveness as a blitzer make him somebody you really have to account for in game planning.”
Earlier in the offseason, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr predicts the All-Pro Safety will receive the defensive player of the year award.
With someone as versatile as Hamilton, it is well within his ability to take home the defensive player of the year. Being a true unicorn on the field, Kyle Hamilton is expected to see strides after the Ravens struggled defensively last year. The team looks to bounce back into the playoffs in 2026.
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