The NFL Top 100 can never be taken too seriously, but it offers a perspective into the minds of the league’s players and who they believe are the stars of the NFL. Still, many players tend to be snubbed or outrageously underrated. The most recent player that falls into that category is Baltimore Ravens versatile safety Kyle Hamilton.
One of the most recent rankings slotted Hamilton in at number 51 on the list. The two-time Pro Bowler ranked 43rd on last year’s list, tumbling eight spots after an underwhelming season from the Ravens’ defense. But that was not on Hamilton. NFL.com’s Coral Smith put it perfectly.
“But that decline was in no part due to a drop-off by Hamilton, who remained the most consistent and productive member of the Baltimore defensive back corps amid movement and frustrations in the other starting slots,” Smith wrote. “Hamilton recorded a 90.1 overall grade, third among safeties per Pro Football Focus, also ranking top five in each subset of pass rush, run defense and coverage grades.”
Kyle Hamilton embarrassingly disrespected in recent NFL Top 100 reveal
There are not 50 players in the league better than Hamilton. There might not even be 25 better. He is that impactful, even though it might not always show on the stat sheet. To put it simply, his 2024 stats were not impressive at face value. He only tallied one interception, nine pass deflections, and two sacks. However, he has a significant influence on Baltimore’s defense, and it showed in the unit’s late-season turnaround.
In the second half of 2025, he transitioned to playing more as a deep safety. He still showed out as the most versatile player in the league, but took control of handling duties on the backend. It helped the Ravens go from one of the worst to one of the best defenses in the NFL. That kind of impact he has is unheard of. Not many players can match it. At safety, though, it is hard to earn your respect.
Much of the reason Hamilton ranks low is likely due to positional value. While it is becoming a more significant need in the increasingly pass-heavy league, it is still one of the more undervalued positions. Due to that, Hamilton and many of his fellow safeties are underrated on lists like the NFL Top 100. However, this ranking fails to realize his impact beyond safety, as he can truly line up anywhere on the field.
Regardless, everyone knows Hamilton is a top player in the league. The ranking may not reflect it, but the 25-year-old is undoubtedly a top 35 player, and not many would debate that.