OWINGS MILLS, Md. — You can’t overstate how happy the Ravens are with the fact that Kyle Hamilton fell to them in last week’s draft. One of the highest rated players in the pool, the safety was selected by Baltimore at 14th overall.
"Safeties may not be as glamorous to pick high but his versatility and what he can bring to a defense, he’s like a chess piece," said Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz on Wednesday.
Hamilton is a chess piece that screams check mate when he makes a hit. Hortiz described the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder as a full, thick hitter.
"He uses his body. He’ll hit with the shoulder. He’ll hit with the torso and he wraps. There is strength and there is balance and there is leverage and he is in good position to finish."
One of the more interesting selections by the Ravens this year was one of their six fourth-rounders, Penn State punter Jordan Stout. He doesn’t only boom the ball downfield, he can also kick.
"That versatility helps. It’s like anything. It’s like pitching. You throw 90 pitches, well if you have someone who can throw 70 and someone who can throw the other 20, you can save your arm a little bit," said Hortiz. "So, it saves the legs. It really does."
Primarily the leg of future hall-of-fame kicker Justin Tucker, who will enter his eleventh NFL season this fall.
"Just having that versatility to be able to give Justin a couple kickoffs off potentially is a great thing," added Hortiz.
Hamilton, Stout and the rest of the draft class get their first taste of life as a Raven in just a couple days. Rookie minicamp is set to begin on Friday.
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