2. Players the New York Jets should draft in Round 1 – Kyle Hamilton
This pick will be a controversial one with the Jets’ fan base, which is still salty after how their last first-round safety played out. New York did hit a home run taking Jamal Adams with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft but didn’t want to pay a box safety top of the market money, instead dealing him to Seattle for a pair of first-round picks, including one that became this year’s No. 10 pick.
Safeties usually don’t go high in the first round unless they are exceptional players and Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton fits that bill. Hamilton has received tremendous accolades from scouts, some of whom have gifted him with the “generational” label that was affixed to tight end Kyle Pitts in last year’s draft.
Pitts became the highest-drafted tight end ever when he went No. 4 overall to the Atlanta Falcons and became a star almost immediately. The Jets definitely have a need at safety as both Marcus Maye and LaMarcus Joyner are set to test free agency after season-ending injuries, making Hamilton a great option for a team that has to acquire two starters in 2022.
Rumors have already started to emerge about the Jets’ interest in Hamilton, who has been mocked to New York by ESPN’s Mel Kiper recently. It remains to be seen if Douglas will use a premium draft pick on a safety but Hamiton has all the tools necessary to become a star in Robert Saleh’s defense.