Ravens make Kyle Hamilton 1st safety taken at No. 14

The Baltimore Ravens selected Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 14 overall.

Hamilton was widely considered a top-five talent in the draft but likely dropped to the Ravens partly because of positional value and a relatively slow 40-yard dash time of 4.59 seconds.

The former Fighting Irish standout was a unanimous All-American last season after racking up three interceptions and 34 total tackles in seven games.

Hamilton will join a stacked Baltimore secondary that includes Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Chuck Clark, and prized free-agent addition Marcus Williams.

The Ravens made center Tyler Linderbaum their second first-round selection at No. 25 overall. Baltimore traded receiver Marquise Brown and a third-rounder (No. 100 overall) to the Arizona Cardinals for No. 23 before moving down two spots in a deal with the Buffalo Bills.

Scouting profile: Kyle Hamilton

Hamilton may be the best prospect in this year's draft class, and there's no hyperbole in that statement. The Notre Dame safety is seriously impressive in all phases of the game. Hamilton's instincts and football IQ make it appear as if he is in the huddle with opposing offenses before the snap. Whether he's asked to cover over the top or play in the box as a thumper, Hamilton does it at an elite level. He's also capable of covering bigger targets due to his size, such as tight ends, and his team frequently asked him to play as a slot defender. It's hard to find holes in Hamilton's game - he can take some poor angles, but those are few and far between. His 40-yard dash time did bring some concerns, but his speed holds up on tape. If football is a game of chess, Hamilton is the ultimate piece that will have defensive coordinators yelling "checkmate."