Kyle Hamilton, Aaron Banks Named ‘Most Valuable’ At Their Positions
Being among college football’s best is something Notre Dame has become accustomed to over the years. The program is rich in history and tradition and is adding to it. Two of its better players in recent history received significant accolades this week from Pro Football Focus.
Safety Kyle Hamilton and guard Aaron Banks were both named ‘most valuable’ at their respective position in the country in terms of wins above replacement per Pro Football Focus (PFF). Wins above replacement or WAR, is a commonly used statistic in baseball but has recently been introduced to college and professional football through PFF.
WAR is calculated by the number of additional wins a player’s team has achieved above the number of expected team wins if that player were substituted with a replacement-level player.
Through this statistic, PFF claims that both Banks and Hamilton were the best at their position through the 2020 season. This is an undervalued statistic and award and should receive much more attention than it has so far.
PFF is a relatively new company but it has seen its rankings and stats used much more frequently in recent years. Started by Neil Hornsby back in 2006, it was a start-up that Hornsby did for fun and it was eventually purchased by Cris Collinsworth back in 2014. Since Collinsworth took over, it has taken off with football teams and fans around the world using its revolutionary data to track and analyze players in a way we have never seen prior.
It analyzes each and every play that every athlete participates in at both the college and professional level, making the PFF rankings valid and important. In its analysis of Banks and Hamilton, it must have been clear that the two Golden Domers were the best of the best at their position.
Banks led a stellar Notre Dame offensive line this season, which finished in the top three for the Joe Moore Award, given out annually to the nation’s top offensive line. He has elected to forego his last season of eligibility given to NCAA athletes by the NCAA due to COVID-19 and will enter his name in the NFL draft. The tremendous guard was named to the AP All-America First Team, Sporting News All-America Second Team, ESPN All-America Team and the All-ACC First team.
Hamilton, the centerfielder of the Irish defense, starred yet again in his sophomore season for Notre Dame. He led the team in tackles with 63 and also added an interception. Being named the most valuable safety in the country is one of many postseason awards for Hamilton, who was named AP All-American Third Team, The Athletic All-American Second Team and the All-ACC First Team, among others.
While Banks will not be returning for the Irish next season, Hamilton will be. Entering his junior season, Hamilton is expected to once again be the main-man in the secondary for Notre Dame before he likely heads to the NFL in the 2022 draft.
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