5 shocking draft picks the Carolina Panthers could make at No. 6

Carolina Panthers could select Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton is my personal No. 1 player in the NFL Draft and for good reason. So why might he be available at No. 6?

Safety has become a devalued position. Hamilton is seeking to buck this trend however, with a combination of rare physical abilities and a high level of football IQ he may just do that.

The Carolina Panthers already have one of the most versatile defensive weapons in Jeremy Chinn. Adding Hamilton into that secondary with him would be almost too tempting.

The versatility both of them provide would be the most unique in the NFL and allow them to play any combination of defenses as both Hamilton and Chinn could drop down to play linebacker, in coverage, blitz, play box safety, and so on. It would create a blend of hybrid players that could allow Phil Snow to call any number of packages that an offense quite frankly would have a very difficult time dealing with.

I know that is placing a lot of hype in one player. But Hamilton is a true franchise adjuster on the defensive side of the ball.

He is that rare.

During his time at Notre Dame, Hamilton accumulated eight interceptions, 7.5 sacks, and defended 16 passes. The stats however do not tell the whole story, as teams had to actively avoid the defensive back as he could take away an entire side of the field.

He was the Fighting Irish defense’s heartbeat, as can be seen when you compare their unit once Hamilton missed time due to injury – dropping from the 14th in 2020 all the way down to the 43rd rank by the end of 2021.

Could Carolina make this unicorn of an athlete the third straight first-round pick spent on a defensive player? Hamilton would be the best of the ones selected so far, and that is saying something.