The player the Atlanta Falcons must target in 2022 draft

The Atlanta Falcons 2021 draft felt like a change in identity for the team. As most know, Terry Fontenot used the teams’ fourth overall pick to take the most talented tight end to come out of college in NFL history—Kyle Pitts.

There were rumors at the time that Julio Jones—the player the Falcons’ offense was built around for a decade—was looking to move on. It was uncertain at the time if that would actually happen, and most wanted to see the combination of Julio Jones, Kyle Pitts, and Calvin Ridley on the same offense, but that did not happen.

Atlanta’s decision to take Kyle Pitts meant that they were looking for that new physically dominant presence on the field to take over for the all-time great, Julio Jones. Now it is time to take another Kyle to be the dominant presence on the other side of the ball.

Notre Dame safety, Kyle Hamilton, needs to be the Falcons target in the 2022 draft.

Notre Dame has a generational talent on their defense that the Atlanta Falcons need to go after.

Kyle Hamilton—who happens to be from Atlanta—is a six-foot-four, 220 pound monster of a safety. There are very few—if any—weaknesses to his game. He flys around the field faster than any player in college football, he has terrifying size, he has stellar instincts, there is nothing to not like about him.

Plus when you look at this fact, it tells you that athleticism runs in his family, he is the son of a former third-round pick of the Nets in the 1988 NBA draft—Derrek Hamilton. While Kyle was actually born in Greece, he grew up in Atlanta for most of his life.

Watch any Notre Dame game and you will see number 14 on their defense flying around and doing whatever he is asked. He can cover anyone one on one or he can drop back, read the quarterback, and drive on the ball.

In this play, Kyle Hamilton runs about 33-yards between the time that the quarterback pumps the ball and when he actually throws it. There is no other way to put it, that is elite speed and instincts.

On the year Hamilton has recorded 24 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 2 passes defended.

Those stats might seem a little disappointing, minus the interception total, but he is truly an elite NFL prospect. His size, speed, athleticism, instincts, and knowledge of the game are rarely seen, giving him the title of a “generational talent.”

He is in his third year with the Fighting Irish and through his entire career he has produced 128 tackles, 8 interceptions returned for 80 yards, 15 passes defended, and 1 touchdown.

The only question for the Atlanta Falcons will be if they have a high enough pick in the 2022 NFL draft to take him?

That obviously remains to be seen and there is no way to predict it, even if they do not, they should strongly consider trading up to grab him. He could be the driving force of the Falcons defense for years, something that has tremendous value.

This could be the game-changer that the Atlanta Falcons defense needs for the years to come.