Mike Mickens knew Kyle Hamilton was different before either coach or player reached Baltimore.
Mickens coached Hamilton at Notre Dame and watched the versatile safety develop into a first-round NFL prospect. Their reunion with the Ravens gives Mickens another opportunity to challenge a player who has already become one of football’s premier defenders.
The expectations are not modest.
“Go chase everything — All-Pro again and MVP,” Mickens said on The Ravens Lounge. “He has the capability to do it. The sky’s the limit for him.”
Hamilton has lined up across Baltimore’s defense during his career, handling responsibilities at deep safety, in the slot, near the line of scrimmage and as a pressure player. That versatility allows the Ravens to address different
offensive threats without substituting.
Mickens does not believe Hamilton needs a complete reinvention. His next step is producing with greater consistency while continuing to create plays from multiple alignments.
The arrival of Jesse Minter should help. Minter has a history of moving versatile safeties around his defense and is expected to treat Hamilton as one of the scheme’s most valuable pieces. Malaki Starks’ development could provide additional freedom. If the second-year safety proves capable of handling multiple deep-field assignments, Baltimorecan move Hamilton closer to the action without making its intentions obvious.
Individual awards often require splash plays. Hamilton’s value is not always reflected through interceptions or sacks because offenses change protections and route concepts to account for his presence. Mickens wants production and versatility to coexist. A few additional takeaways or game-changing plays could place Hamilton in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. The coach-player relationship provides a useful foundation. Mickens understands Hamilton’s strengths and family background, while Hamilton already knows the standard his former Notre Dame coach will demand.
Hamilton has accomplished enough to make another Pro Bowl an ordinary expectation. Mickens is challenging him to pursue recognition reserved for the NFL’s most dominant defenders.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Could Kyle Hamilton win NFL MVP as a defensive standout?
