After a powerful end to his rookie yr, expectations for Baltimore Ravens’ second-year security Kyle Hamilton are extraordinarily excessive heading into the 2023 season.

The No. 14 general select Notre Dame in final yr’s NFL Draft completed the 2022 season as the highest graded security in the whole league, in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus. He’s making the transition from enjoying a hybrid nickel position again to being a full-time security. Hamilton and veteran Marcus Williams are anticipated to be interchangeable and supply the Ravens protection with schematic flexibility.

Passing sport coordinator/secondary coach Chris Hewitt instructed reporters on Tuesday that he expects Hamilton to be a “Professional Bowl-type participant this yr” and that’s his expectations as properly.

“That’s the purpose finally – Professional Bowl, Tremendous Bowl – all [of] that,” Hamilton stated. “I’ve excessive expectations for myself, for the staff, and I really feel like we will make all of them come true.”

He believes that the Ravens are considered one of, if not the deepest staff within the league “prime to backside” with Professional Bowl expertise throughout the roster.

“I really feel like I’m at a Professional Bowl apply day-after-day,” Hamilton stated. “[I] simply go searching, and there’s guys all over the place.”

Certainly one of his teammates on the other aspect of the ball that he enjoys matching up with is three-time Professional Bowl tight finish Mark Andrews.

“He’s probably the greatest, if not the very best [in his] place within the league,” Hamilton stated. “I see why on a day-to-day foundation. Even guys like Zay [Flowers], getting capable of deal with Zay in an open discipline or simply being in place, there’s not a number of guys within the league that may cease and begin like he can. So, it helps us within the secondary to return out and deal with.”

Hewitt acknowledged that early on final yr, Hamilton skilled rising pains whereas the defensive teaching workers was nonetheless determining one of the simplest ways to deploy him. With a yr of expertise underneath his belt and one other offseason of studying, he has observed the expansion in his sport.

“He’s forward of the performs this yr,” Hewitt stated. “He’s forward of the formations, down and distances and is aware of actually how you can play now. We’ll see massive issues from Kyle.”

Regardless of basically enjoying out of place for the very best stretch of his rookie season, Hamilton nonetheless managed to complete with 62 whole tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 5 move breakups, and a compelled fumble.

“I feel that being in that position I used to be final yr – being the nickel – I feel it helps now as a result of now we have now that card in our again pocket if we have to play it,” Hamilton stated.

He’s assured that positional flexibility that each he and Williams possess can be an amazing asset for the protection.

“I feel it helps as a result of I feel we each supply a number of issues that we each do fairly properly,” Hamilton stated. “Whether or not that [is] enjoying within the submit, being rangy or with the ability to come down and hit. I don’t suppose there’s essentially like a free or robust security in terms of us. I feel we’re each fairly interchangeable in terms of that, so it form of retains the quarterback on his toes as a result of he doesn’t know who’s going to be enjoying what, who’s going to be blitzing, who’s going to be overlaying, all of that form of stuff.”

Hamilton additionally shared that essentially the most important strides he’s made is from a psychological standpoint, the place he seems like “two utterly totally different individuals” in comparison with final yr.

“It’s a giant distinction from final yr, and I really feel like that was the most important step I’ve taken,” Hamilton stated. “Not even bodily, simply mentally with the ability to lead on the market with calls and checks and stuff like that.”