Zach Orr is in his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens and safety Kyle Hamilton is going to be one of the players he relies on to lead the unit.
Hamilton was a first-round pick in 2022 and he turned in a stellar second season. He had 81 tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, 13 passes defensed and a forced fumble on his way to being named a first-team All-Pro.
During a press conference last week, Orr said that Hamilton’s versatility is something he’d like to deploy in a way that makes the safety a contender for defensive player of the year.
“Kyle Hamilton is the ultimate chess piece; I think he’s one of the top players in the league,” Orr said, via a transcript from the team. “My goal for him is to one day win [the] defensive MVP — here — of the league. I think he has that type of talent, he has that type of work ethic, he’s that type of person. The thing about him being the ultimate chess piece [is], depending on what the offense does, he can play anywhere. He can play safety, deep safety, box safety; he can play corner, he can play nickel, he can play backer, he can even play outside linebacker, too, and you guys know he can rush the passer. The thing that you appreciate about Kyle Hamilton is, is he works at it, he’s a smart player, so he can handle all the different volume that you get him. I think he’s eager, going into his third year, to do more, so we’ll see.”
At 23, Hamilton should have a lot of years left in his NFL career and there should be plenty of other platitudes coming his way if he continues to perform at the same level he did in 2023.
