Kyle Hamilton is widely considered the top safety in the 2022 NFL Draft. And that is just a lazy take. Hamilton’s size and tackling ability is second to none. However, his lackluster speed makes him a better box safety. When it comes to pure safeties playing deep and dropping into coverage on every play, the best man for that job is Daxton Hill.
The Michigan junior possesses elite athleticism. The speed is made clear by a 4.38 40-yard dash time. The fluid hips are proved by a 6.57 three-cone time. Both times are in the 90th percentile or above for safeties. In terms of utilization, Daxton Hill can be put in single-high looks and be everywhere with his sideline to sideline speed. If you want to put him in the slot he has the agility to match up anywhere. Additionally, Hill is a willing tackler with great pursuit.
6-feet tall is nothing to lose your mind over as a safety, but the length is mind-blowing. Hill’s wingspan is damn near the same as the 6-foot-4 Kyle Hamilton. Obviously, long arms are incredibly helpful when dropping into coverage and breaking up passes. Therefore, knowing Daxton Hill has all the intangibles to be a successful safety in the NFL. Moreover, those same intangibles showed out in his production.
In his three years at Michigan, Hill has demonstrated incredible growth in coverage. This past season was his best yet. He finished the year with 7 incompletions and 14 coverage stops. The two stats respectively mark as the 4th and 5th most in college football.
While Hill is a good tackler with strong pop at the point of contact, his size hinders him greatly. 191-pounds won’t cut it at the NFL level. At the same time, you won’t be drafting Hill to be an able tackler. That’s where you want Kyle Hamilton’s skillset.
The NFL is trending towards a more pass-heavy league every year. The 21-year-old Michigan product has tremendously improved his ball skills in his short collegiate career. To combat such high-volume receivers, Daxton Hill is the best selection at the safety position in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Aiden Hutchinson and David Ojabo are incredible talents coming out of Michigan in this year’s draft. But that vaunted defense wouldn’t have been nearly as dominant without the presence of Daxton Hill. A player of his skill set will have the same effect on NFL defenses.
