Kyle Hamilton pops up on All-America teams despite playing just seven games
Kyle Hamilton’s half-season was enough to land him on some All-America teams.
The Notre Dame junior safety has appeared in six games and eight snaps of a seventh this year. He has not played since suffering a knee injury Oct. 23 against USC. His body of work in those six-plus games still caught the attention of a couple outlets — including one that counts toward consensus selection.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation named Hamilton a first-team All-American, giving him a spot on one of five teams that are part of the FBS consensus status. The Athletic named him a first-team All-American, while CBS Sports tabbed him as a second-team pick. He was the only Notre Dame player on either All-America team. Pro Football Focus gave him and Irish tight end Michael Mayer honorable mention on its teams.
Hamilton made 35 tackles in seven games, along with 2.0 tackles for loss and four pass breakups. His three interceptions are tied for the team lead. He averaged five tackles per game, which ranks second among Notre Dame defensive players — behind only junior linebacker JD Bertrand.
His inclusion on any All-America team despite playing just half the season, while surprising and perhaps even a reach, is a nod to the clear impact he makes when he’s healthy. He was arguably the country’s best defensive back before he was injured.
“Hamilton is a tough choice given that he was sidelined by an injury for much of the second half of the season, but his impact before then is undeniable,” The Athletic wrote. “He’s the best safety in the country. Per PFF, he allowed one touchdown in 262 snaps in pass coverage and averaged 17.6 coverage snaps for every reception allowed. He had three interceptions, including two in the close win against Florida State.”
Notre Dame replaced Hamilton with a combination of senior DJ Brown, sophomore Ramon Henderson and sophomore Xavier Watts. Notre Dame’s defense didn’t regress with that trio instead of a potential top-10 pick. The Irish went 6-0 without Hamilton and didn’t allow a touchdown for 14 straight quarters in November.
UPDATE Dec. 10 12:30 p.m. ET: Hamilton has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft and will not play in the bowl. Monday, new head coach Marcus Freeman threw his support behind whatever decision Hamilton made.
“I've communicated clearly with Kyle,” Freeman said. “His health is the No. 1 importance for any decision we make. And whatever is best for him and whatever is best for his health, I am going to support.”
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