Three teams emerge as common destinations for Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in final round of NFL mock drafts

Notre Dame will have a player picked in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft Thursday night.

Safety Kyle Hamilton is universally projected to go in the top 32 picks and become the first Irish player taken there since defensive tackle Jerry Tillery in 2019. He’s a top-10 player in many draft analysts’ overall rankings and the clear top safety this year. Some even have him in the top five of their big boards, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

The consensus on his draft range, though, is somewhere in the top 15 or 20 picks. The Washington Commanders at No. 11 have been the most frequent landing spot for him in recent mock drafts, with the Minnesota Vikings at No. 12 and Houston Texans at No. 13 as common projections too.

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Washington, though, did not appear as a destination for him in the final round of prominent mocks published before the draft on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Three other teams emerged as the projected landing spot.

ESPN: No. 13, Houston Texans

“Hamilton is my No. 4 prospect, but he’s likely to drop to this range because he ran a slower-than-expected 40-yard dash (4.59) and because teams just don’t value safeties as much as other positions,” Kiper wrote. “He’s a playmaker who could step in for Justin Reid, who left in free agency.”

ESPN: No. 12, Minnesota Vikings

“Hamilton comes at pretty good value, and he has a unique combination of range, size, length and ball skills,” ESPN’s Todd McShay wrote. “Before his knee injury in October, Hamilton picked off three passes.”

The Athletic: No. 12, Vikings

“The Vikings are hoping [LSU cornerback Derek] Stingley [Jr.] falls this far, but they won’t be too upset if they end up with Hamilton,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote. “Not a bad way to kick off the new regime in Minnesota.”

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Sports Illustrated: No. 13, Texans

“If the draft plays out this way, I’d grade this pick an A-plus,” Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Hanson wrote. “Although he may not fall this far, I think this is his absolute floor. Hamilton’s not only the best player available, by far, but the Texans get a blue-chip prospect at a position of need. Despite disappointing times at the combine and Notre Dame’s pro day, Hamilton isn’t slow as his outstanding range shows. Hamilton would give [head coach] Lovie Smith a true difference maker on the back end with his unique blend of height, length, athleticism and ball production.”

NFL.com: No. 15, Philadelphia Eagles

Two NFL.com mock drafts predict Hamilton will land in Philadelphia.

“Hamilton is my No. 5 player in the 2022 draft class,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote. “This would be an absolute steal for [general manager] Howie Roseman and the Eagles.”

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein’s final mock predicts the same outcome for the former Notre Dame safety.

“This is quite a fall from where I first mocked Hamilton, but the talented defender’s slide down the board ends up being the Eagles’ good fortune,” Zierlein wrote.

CBS Sports: No. 13, Texans

“GM Nick Caserio knows the importance of quality, versatile safety play given his time in New England,” CBS’ Chris Trapasso wrote. “This is an easy pick for the Texans, Hamilton falling into their lap.”

CBS Sports: No. 18, Philadelphia Eagles

This is as low as any day-of-draft mock projects Hamilton to go.

“Does this feel really low for Hamilton?” CBS’ Ryan Wilson wrote. “Yeah, absolutely, but the reality is that he’s closer to a mid-first-rounder than top-5, and most of that has to do with teams valuing edge rushers, cornerbacks, offensive linemen and even wide receivers more. But don’t get it twisted, Hamilton is a special talent and in the right system he can have early success. The Eagles could be on the lookout for a wideout or cornerback here too but Hamilton might be too good to pass up.”

Pro Football Focus: No. 15, Eagles

“The Eagles are doing backflips to get Hamilton here,” PFF owner and Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth wrote. “His 4.59-second 40-yard dash knocks him down a bit, but his in-game range is something you would never question. I think that is why that time surprised people.

“Hamilton’s size will allow him to cover any tight end, but he also played man coverage on the slot receivers at Notre Dame. He never seemed to struggle in the slot, even against the smaller, quicker wideouts.

“He must be careful with tackles to the head, which may be a height issue. It was tough for the QB to throw over or around him when he blitzed off the edge.”