Kyle Hamilton’s Breakout 2024

What It Means for Baltimore

The 2024 Baltimore Ravens season was, all at once, a tremendously successful and massively disappointing season. On the one hand, Lamar Jackson won his second National Football League Most Valuable Player award. Only 11 players in NFL history have multiple MVPs, joining Patrick Mahomes as the only active player with two. The Ravens went 13–4 and were the #1 seed in the AFC. They reached the AFC Championship Game for the first time in Jackson’s career, hosting it for the first time in franchise history. However, it ended in disappointment, with Baltimore losing to the Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs and failing to reach the Super Bowl.

Baltimore is well set up for 2024 to be right back, thanks to an elite defense led by players like Kyle Hamilton. Let’s look at who Hamilton is and how he played in 2023.

Where Did Kyle Hamilton Come From?

Hamilton was born to father Derrick Hamilton, a professional basketball player from Southern Miss who spent most of his professional career in Greece after being a 3rd round NBA draft pick with the New Jersey Nets. As such, Hamilton was born in Crete, Greece, and briefly lived in Russia before moving to Atlanta once his father retired. He attended Marist School in Brookhaven, Georgia, playing cornerback, safety, and wide receiver on the football team and in the 2019 All-American Bowl.

He played his college ball at Notre Dame, making the Freshman All-American team, first-team All-ACC in 2020, and a consensus All-American in 2021. Hamilton was a blue-chip prospect for his entire high school and college career, making it no surprise that the Ravens took him with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 draft to help rebuild an aging defense. He has since turned into a key reason why Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl odds are consistently among the highest in the NFL.

A Strong Rookie Campaign

Hamilton immediately stepped in and significantly contributed to the Ravens’ defense as a rookie. He played in all 16 games, starting four, and recorded 62 tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss, and five pass deflections. He also forced a fumble while giving the Ravens strong coverage as a rotational safety. Following the season, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and had a dynamic performance in the AFC Wild Card Game, recording nine tackles while forcing and recovering a fumble.

Despite that, the Ravens fell 24–17 to the Bengals in that game without Jackson, who missed extensive time due to injury. Backup Tyler Huntley was unable to lead Baltimore to a single 20-point performance. The Ravens had seven Pro Bowl players and three All-Pros but couldn’t compensate for losing Jackson. However, it was the precursor for a big year from the 2023 team once they got Jackson back.

A Breakout 2023 Campaign

One of the best seasons in Baltimore’s history was mirrored by a breakout year from Hamilton. After being named the starter at strong safety, Hamilton had 81 tackles and three sacks in 15 starts, including four interceptions after not recording a pick as a rookie. He made the Pro Bowl and was named a First-Team All-Pro, with PFF giving him a near-elite 84.7 grade. He was instrumental to a Baltimore defense that led the league in scoring defense, giving up just 16.5 points per game.

In the postseason, Hamilton was quiet in a 34–10 Divisional Round blowout over the Texans, logging just three tackles. However, he was explosive in the 17–10 AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs, ending the day with 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss and quarterback hit. He caught the attention of several people on social media with the performance, with Jim Nantz exclaiming, “Kyle Hamilton, it looks like there’s two or three of them out there,” on the broadcast. Hamilton was everywhere.

However, he allowed a few big plays, including a crucial touchdown to Travis Kelce in the first quarter. It was the first touchdown he had allowed to a tight end all season. Hamilton noted that the team was in shock after the loss and felt the team made more mistakes than it had in the past.

How Does Hamilton Play in the Ravens’ Long-Term Plans?

Hamilton is a crucial cog in the Ravens’ defense going forward and could be in line for a significant extension next offseason. He surrendered a 38.4 passer rating against and commanded the field at the safety position. If he doesn’t get an extension, his fifth-year extension will nearly double due to his Pro Bowl selection. However, it is unlikely Baltimore will let him get to his fifth year without an extension.

What Is Next for Baltimore?

After their trip to the AFC Championship game, bettors still view the Ravens as a Super Bowl favorite. Only the Chiefs (+650) have greater odds to win the Super Bowl than the Ravens (+900) in the AFC. Kyle Hamilton will have to be a major player if the Ravens hope to get to the Super Bowl in 2025.

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