While I do love the NFL Draft and this time of the year, we’ve hit the portion of it that I despise; the overthinking stage. This stage occurs every single year. You see a very good prospect’s stock tank because scouts and analysts have too much time on their hands… So they dissect every little piece of a players game.
Unfortunately, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is the main target of the “over thinking” stage. The main criticism of Hamilton that has him plummeting down draft boards is his 40 time. At the combine he ran a 4.59 40 yard dash; doesn’t seem like a big issue to me, especially after watching his film.
Watch The Tape
This article is definitely filled with some bias as I am a die hard Notre Dame fan, but Hamilton is arguably the third best defender in the draft. In the 2021 season, Hamilton played in seven games and was the lifeblood of the Irish defense. His most impactful performance came in week one against Florida State. Notre Dame was pushed to the limit by an unranked FSU team, but Hamilton made sure the Irish would stay ranked.
He tallied 6 tackles with 2 interceptions against the Seminoles; notably when he tracked halfway across the field and toe dragged the sideline in the third quarter.
Or even look at Hamiltons performance against Purdue. He picked off a pass and was second on the team in tackles with 10. Whenever he played, he absolutely balled out, and 2021 wasn’t a breakout season for Hamilton. In 2020, the Atlanta native made 63 tackles, picked off 1 pass, and broke up 7 passes. Hamilton has been that guy.
Why Hamilton’s 40 Yard Dash Time Shouldn’t Matter
If analytic nerds want to hang onto Hamilton’s “slow” 40 time, we can look at elite NFL safeties 40 times. Harrison Smith who is a 6-time Pro Bowler with the Vikings ran a 4.57. Denver’s 2 time All Pro safety Justin Simmons ran a 4.61. Finally, Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer who was named All Pro in 2021 ran a 4.58. All elite ballhawks that ran a similar 40 time to Hamilton.
The fastest 40 time ever ran by a safety was Josh Barrett. That name probably doesn’t ring a bell because the guy who ran a 4.35 played from 2008 to 2012 and only recorded 49 career tackles. Speed doesn’t equal good, just ask the Bengals about John Ross.
Are The Vikings A Viable Suitor For Hamilton?
My Vikings have a lot of needs in this year’s draft like a corner, interior offensive line, and tight end, but if Hamilton’s available at twelve you have to pull the trigger on him. Right? Strong safety Harrison Smith is 33 years old and the free safety position hasn’t been solidified since Anthony Harris was in Minneapolis. Hamilton can play either free or strong safety, but would start immediately at free; he then could learn under Smith and play strong safety when Smith retires.
The only circumstance in which I wouldn’t want Minnesota to take Hamilton is if Sauce Gardner is on the board. Corner is a bigger need than safety for Minnesota and Gardner is the best all around defensive back in the draft; but it’s a very slim chance that this is the case.
Kyle Hamiltons 6’4 frame coupled with Harrison Smith’s killer instinct would make it near impossible for teams to take the top off Minnesota. The Vikings face multiple teams with good pass catchers like Arizona with Hopkins, Detroit with Amon-Ra St. Brown and D.J. Chark, and Buffalo with Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis; drafting Hamilton would prevent teams from targeting the middle of the field and looking for deep balls on the sidelines.
A pair of Notre Dame safeties (my favorite college team) starting on the Minnesota Vikings (my favorite NFL team) would cause me to need a new pair of shorts, I’d be thrilled about it.