Studio 44, Ep. 9: Marlon Humphrey Welcomes Kyle Hamilton

Marlon Humphrey talks to rookie first-round safety Kyle Hamilton about his Notre Dame background, what he anticipates for his first season and much more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
How do I want to enter Kyle Hamilton first round pick? Uh,
let's do something random. Hamilton, um, descendant of Alexander, descendant
of Alexander. How about I ensore you? It kind of
takes away from it. Yeah, all right, okay, Carlin Humphrey

(00:27):
is without a doubt in the conversation, to be the
best corner in football. What's up, guys? We are here
with Kyle Hamilton, the Baltimore Ravens first round pick, number fourteen. Overall,
I'm excited to welcome this guy because he's the first rookie.

(00:49):
But how are you doing? I'm doing well? How about you?
I'm doing great. As I did my homework on you,
I started seeing a lot of similar characteristics and it
started with high school. So I was I was a
little torn. I saw a little four star, no five star?
Which which one? Did you? Do you claim? Or? Were
you in high school football? Um? I claim I like

(01:11):
to claim like a three star honestly because I was
funny thing about mine, We're not similar at all? Yeah,
you were? You were him and I was just another dude.
But no, So I had never gone to a football
camp before my sophomore ye summer. Going into my junior year. Um,
I was a hooper up until that point. Um, so

(01:32):
I was I was lit to get three star rating.
I was like, wow, I'm actually on a website. Um
my dad played. Everybody my family played basketball. So fun
from fact that I was actually about to quit football.
Whoa after my sophomore year. I had a few basketball
options and at the time I was probably six one
like one forty, like choking what? And my mom was like,

(01:54):
didn't want me to play my sophomore in football because
she didn't want me to get hurt. Begged her to play.
Let me play, thankfully. And then my high school football
coaches has like three hundred wins, like super old guy,
very intimidating, so I was scared to go to him
after the season to quit, and so I waited a week,
kind of put it off, and then fau came and
offered me. I originally thought it for basketball, but he

(02:17):
was like, no, I'm the football coach, and I was
like okay. And then Louisville offered me that same week,
so I was like, all right, well, I've always little
football really more than basketball, so I guess I'll just
I'll just stick with it. I'm here now. So what
so you were you were scared to you were scared
to quit football? Yeah, scared. So basketball was kind of

(02:38):
your first lover, Like why why were you even playing football? All?
Just kind of good at Yeah, I mean I was
always good. Um at the time, I didn't know I
was like college good or NFL good. But yeah, my
pops played professionally for like thirteen years played basketball, and
my brother played in college. My uncle's cousins, everybody played basketball.
Everybody wasn't really a football player in the family. So

(02:58):
I just thought from a young age, like this the
path you go down just hoop and then hooping college
and take that wherever you can. But I was different.
Did how family feel with you playing back like football
over basketball or did they never really care? Surprisingly, my
mom was more against it than my dad, um, because
my dad's seen me from a young age be good

(03:20):
at both and he always knew that I like football more. Um.
Basketball just got burnt out with it with au and
all that stuff from a young age, and football is
kind of released, um in terms of the basketball stuff.
But he was supportive. Everybody was really supportive, supportive of it. Um.
I mean, at the end of the day I was
going to school for free, so I mean can't complain.

(03:40):
So there's always everybody in the NFL thinks can hoop?
Would you like we go into the locker room. Are
you claiming to be the best hooper on the team
or I know that for a fact for a fact?
All right, Okay, that's gonna happen in the locker room.
We're gonna we got a quarter. But I can't get
too crazy. But um so, how was it? I know

(04:01):
your dad played in the pros. Were you alive at
times when he was playing? Or how did that work?
I was born in Greece actually because of that Um Creek, Greece,
a little island off the southern coast um so he
was playing over there. He went to College of Southernmis.
He's from Mobile, um with the College Southernmis. Was actually
sweet mates with Brett Farve when he was there. Told
me some funny Bret Fave stories. Probably can't repeat them,

(04:24):
but if you want to share, no, I'm gonna keep
that between us. But and then he went overseas, was
in Italy, Israel, Russia, Spain, Philippines, And I was only
in Italy, Israel and Russia. And then Canada States and
obviously so he was he bounced around a lot. Yep.
How was it? How old were you when he was

(04:46):
doing all that? Um? I don't remember any of him.
My brother does. He's four and a half years older
than me. But we Caamada States when I was three.
When you and your brother talked about that, How does
how does he kind of remember when he's playing professional Um,
he thought it was cool, like kids at school stuff
like that, UM, moving around. My brother would like he
went went I think we were in Israel and he

(05:06):
was going to like the English primary school. So he
would come home and say, like trousers and like pick
up on like English slaying and like he would kind
of adapt to different cultures we went to and from.
But um, but he thought it was really cool. I mean,
it's cool to have that perspective from a young age
being a professional athlete. My dad played UM for Denver
in Miami. But I was I don't remember any actually

(05:29):
I wasn't even alive, but it was always I don't
know if you ever got this, but for me, it
was always, oh, your Bobby's song, your Bobby song. Yeah, yeah, definitely,
So that's that's how definitely. Yeah. At AU tournaments, like
random people coming to me, Oh, your dam son, I'm like,
I don't even know you are talking about my dad,
but yeah, he's his name carries a little weight. I

(05:50):
would say. Yeah. So did you ever feel like, I
know me growing up it was I didn't really feel pressure,
but my older brother went to Arkansas a full ride,
my dad played in the pros, So there was always
kind of an expectation kind of there, and it was
almost something you had to like grow out up to

(06:11):
where it wasn't oh your Bobby selling, Oh your Drek's brother,
It's oh, you're Marlin this guy. Did you ever feel
like how was that for you? Obviously you did it,
you're here. How did you kind of grow out of
those shadows? Yeah? Like you said, it was pressure, but
at the same time, I feel like it was competition,
like within the family, Like I said, my uncle's cousins,
everybody played my brother growing up seeing him he played

(06:34):
at U Penn So and the Ivy's, played at a
good academic school and obviously played basketball to college level,
and growing up seeing that I was like, I want
to be that, but even better being the younger brother
you're always kind of like on the coattails a little
bit doing all the stuff that you don't want to do,
but it kind of creates something inside you, like I

(06:55):
can do this, and I know what I'm capable of,
and I think that definitely helped me get her. And
so I was doing my research, I saw I had
to look this up last night. Mensa. Yeah, so you're
supposed to be a scientist. Just mean this really smart.
I ainsign guy. I wanted to be an architect, actually,
but I know architecture and football college football is not

(07:18):
gonna be an architect. I could down the road. I
wouldn't want you to let me design your house right now,
but give me some schooling and I definitely could. And honestly,
I've had some bad house. I mean, I built a
house twenty house down, so that didn't go well. That
could have been you. You could have gave me a
pretty bad and I just but hopefully that doesn't happen,
but maybe maybe one day, But tell me tell me

(07:40):
about that. Yeah. My mom, typical Korean mom, was on
us from the jump about school, like I can't go
to practice unless your homeworks finished, can't stay up past
this amount of time, gotta have you worked on for
do everything is you? So I always say, do what
you have to do before you do what you want
to do, and that really stuck with me. She definitely
had a bunch of those little little nuggets that I kept.

(08:01):
But but uh, now, it was always school first, and
that was a big reason why I chose Notre Dame
because I mean, it's a privilege to be here, privilege
to play football, but you never know when it could end.
And having that Notre Dame background my brother having an
Ivy League background, Um, that's almost just as satisfying as saying,
like I played college football, so like I went to
a great university that has great connections. So you're all

(08:25):
all a guy in high school pre offers and then
offers started coming in. You know, it is like that
started lacking, not slacking, but some being started trickling. Inn
Let it get your head. I wouldn't say that, I
think I just I thought she was pushing you and

(08:46):
that she was I knew where my bread was buttered, though, Okay, man,
I'm a little disappointed. Man Like no, I think you know,
act though and all that stuff. Who was at thirty
It goes up at thirty six. Yeah, I had a

(09:06):
thirty five okay, um minus a couple yea points minus
a couple point. But once I got the minimum, I
was chilling. Anyway, I could have done better. I did
go back when I went back to school. Matter of fact,
let's talking about you going back to school. What is
your plan for going back? I need to I have to.

(09:27):
That was like I said, you want to talk about dedication.
Do I want to talk about dedication? I took classes
during the football season. See, I can't do that. Day
needs you in class. Jerome Bettis was in class this semester,
this best semester, like twenty year old taking Like, we
want to talk about more dedication. First two off seasons
in the league, in two times graduating. I need to

(09:48):
make that I became more dedicated after the fact because
I really wanted. The diplomat has mean something to me
as well. I think we all want to play for ever.
But even if you do play forever, eventually, right, you
kind of gotta do I'm assure you just want to
just kind of do nothing, which is no fun. But

(10:08):
I think if I was giving advice, it was a
great feeling to get my Dipluma and sounds like you
went to Northern Dame to get that diploma. So that's
that's what I would offer. Talk to me about Northern Dame.
I know that's a legendary school, not only for academics
but in sports. How was it kind of wearing? Was
that gold shiny goal? How was that twenty three point

(10:29):
nine carrot goal? To be exact on the helmet? Fun fact,
a little recruiting pitch, but now it was for me personally,
it was down to Georgia and Notre Dame. Obviously two
very different schools. Georgia probably would have been the easier choice.
Come from Georgia. Knew a lot of people there playing
the SEC probably gonna have a little more fun than
Athens than South in Indiana. But um, as a sacrifice

(10:52):
I was willing to make, kind of want to get
out to the the South experience something new. Got to be
a lot of cool people, not even just teammates, like
people Notre Dame, even though they may be affluent, like
the coolest people will ever meet and you will never
know that, And these are connections like I'll have forever. Um.
But it was different, It was different. It was Um.
We couldn't room with a football player of freshman year.

(11:15):
I was gonna actually about that. Yeah, So in the
middle of the summer, we're all um doing workouts or
whatever freshman year, and then we get an email dorm
assignment and roommate assignment. So you could have gotten dorm
with ac new dorm, or you get a dorm that
was built in eighteen seventy eight, no ac with a
quad and then a twenty by twenty room with four

(11:35):
dudes and it bunked up and one room, one room,
no doors, no none of that. One sink, community bathroom,
community bathroom. So it's it's a grind, but I mean
that's what makes me special. At the same time, it's
as you got to decide whether you want to do
that or not. Yeah, I can't really relate. Actually, when

(11:57):
I was younger, I guess we had my dad was
very uh advanced in like building stuff. My mom used
to call him Bob the building from the Little Cartoon show.
But I guess we complained a lot. So we had upstairs,
we had a living room upstairs, and then three bets,
five kids. I guess we were doing so much complaining

(12:21):
and my dad got tired of it, built a wall
in the living room and made two bedrooms. That's a
good dad. That's a great dad. So hearing you stay
with four would be very not used to for me.
These are random people, like, Yeah, you get your roommates signing,
You're going to Instagram, like Twitter, like Google in them,

(12:44):
trying to figure out what they're like, what they don't like.
Like some dudes will have their best friends forever, meet
them randomly in their roommates. Some dudes will come in
and not talk for a whole year because you got
to do that for a year and then you can
pick your roommates your sophomore year. You can't move off
to your senior year. And you only went three years,
so you were in there at the whole time. Uh see, Ni,

(13:10):
you don't even need your cont That's a little bit
about talking about the NIL because we you know, back
in my day, you know, I was eating with my
my girl car get the clown, got to call my mom.
So it times have really changed. How did the how
do you think the NIL has affected you, and how
do you see the NIL going in the future. For

(13:31):
me personally, it was cool to kind of because I
knew the NFL was coming up, so I mean money's
involved as well in that scenario, so I kind of
get a taste of that financial management and stuff like that, investments,
all that. But for me, I made sure it wasn't
a distraction from football. I got all my stuff set
up in the summer going in and then kept my
My mom works for marketing company. My brother works in

(13:52):
marketing right now, so I was like, why I hire
somebody when I have people around me in my circle
who can deal with it. So chose them to kind
of helped me and represent me in that area and
that way everybody eats. So that was pretty cool in
that sense. But like I said, now it's kind of
it's almost turned into like pay to play in college,
like free agency, so especially with the free transfer rule,

(14:14):
it's kind of crazy. But I think overall it's a
good thing. Yeah, I think I like that guys can
just make money off their name. I think it's a
really good thing. I just it's just crazy how it's
really gotten a free for all and it's almost like
who's paying the most? And but but it's been I
think it's been really good. It's been really good to
see guys that I mean, some guys play really well
in college and it doesn't translate to the next level, right, UM,

(14:36):
like undersize guys and you know, so I think it's
been really good. But back to Northern Dame, let's talk
about Northern Dame success with the college football playoff. This
might this might be a might be a yeah. Yeah.
I just want to what do you think what playoff prep,

(15:04):
post postseason prep. What's kind of the thing. Why do
you think that's kind of been the lack thereof? Um?
I think it has something a little bit to do
with the mentality mentality around Notre Dame at times, because
we play teams like Outbama, play teams like Clemson, and
these are obviously blue bloods when we belong in that conversation.

(15:25):
But I just feel like at times of round Notre Dame,
it gotta be like, like, damn, I hope we win
the game, not like not like we put our pants
on the same way, we're about to go, like win
the game. And I think that hurts us at times
because even this year, and I didn't play in the
bowl game, but we were in the Fiesta Bowls New
Years six Bowl. We were up like twenty one and
I kind of felt like we like let our foot

(15:48):
off the gas a little bit. But no discredit to
the guys that were playing, but like, it's just we
haven't been in that situation before. We haven't been up
in a New Years six Bowl game, So we just
gotta learn how to play like that. I'm sure the
guys are capable of doing so, and we will. We
a new coach and um, some new life being shot
on the program. But um, I'm gonna sound kind of
weird by saying this, but we lost by less than

(16:10):
the loser and national championship both times. You can go
back and check that. So we lost to Clemson by
twenty seven when I wasn't there my senior in high school.
And then we lost to Obama by like seven seventeen
I think, and uh, and then they smashed Ohio States.
So I guess we'll take third place. That is that
isn't okay? Flex? Yes, okay, Flex. You talked about not

(16:32):
playing in your ball game, you opted out for the Combine,
all that stuff. I know you went to the Combine,
did scout to like team? Did they mess with you
about that? About Notre Dame success, about about opting opting out. Uh, yeah,
for sure. And you know how it is even that's

(16:53):
like it's like, so you just don't care about your team,
that's it, Like you know the answer to that. But
my answer was just like I've done everything I could
for these past three years, been a germ mind and
playing in the NFL. I feel like I provided myself
my family with a good opportunity. You can tell I
rehearsals and uh, and I felt a good time for
me to go. And I told on my teammates that

(17:13):
because I was coming off an injury at the time,
um spraying my mcl halfway through the season, I got
cleared before the bowl game and I said, if we're
going to the playoff, I'm gonna play. If we're not,
then I'm not gonna play. And it turns out we
didn't go to the playoffs. So I told everybody on
the team, Me and my boy Cayron, who also opted
out plays running back, told everybody we're not playing, and

(17:34):
everybody within the building was cool with it. So like
we have a great season, go to the playoffs. There
wouldn't be like a if we make it the super Bowl,
I'll play like that wouldn't just making depends depends. Yeah, no,
I'm playing, of course I'll play. I just want to
make sure we got here on the team. So, Um,

(17:55):
you talked about um nor the Dame. Um, I know,
it's just I think anybody that goes to like a
legendary school, there's there's so many memories you take from
a place, whether it's plays you made. What's something that
you'll miss the most about that place? Definitely? I'm sure
you said the same thing, like, just dudes in the
locker room, like because and at this level, it's different

(18:16):
from college, because like I was living with three of
my boys, who, um, gonna do a little plug, actually
have a podcast around you need to come on. Um
inside garage, inside garage. We had a garage in our townhouse.
And I'm not gonna go on that tangent, but um, yeah,
guys in the locker room, playing videogames with them, hanging

(18:36):
out with them, going to the functions or whatever with them.
And that's definitely one thing I'll miss the most about school.
What was your favorite play you made in Northern Day?
Do you have one favorite play? Very nice play, I'd
probably say, yeah, the pick against Florida State All right, Yeah, yeah,
you got some right, No, I take that back, take

(18:58):
that back. First play ever in Notre Dame Stadium my
freshman year, I gotta pick six. Your first play ever,
first play we played Louisville the week before at Louisville
first Yeah, first one Notre Dame Stadium. I picked six.
That was pretty dope. That was dope, and dal Dalen
shot out. Dalen Hayes was um Dally tipped the pass
and I caught it, So yeah, Dale meant to play

(19:22):
and then I just capped it off. But um, uh,
you got the shot of dam That's all that really.
I mean, I i't had two PM pick up fumble pick.
I mean, he's just doing his job, pick up the scoring.
Then I'm the man, you know. But he came end zone, celebrated,
jumped up, he knocked me on the ground like it's

(19:42):
on videos somewhere. But yeah, that was pretty dope. It
was your favorite play ever college in the NFL high
school A little league, man, I'd have to go, I
didn't really do anything similar to you, but it's probably
u um. I just caught an onside kick in the
championship and it was just it was just funny. The

(20:05):
way it all set up. So we practice this onside
kick every week. We do like a little pooch kick
probably what I don't know how long college is what
eleven weeks against Clemson Clemson, I dropped the onside kick
every single week, just about every single time. So I'm like,
probably never gonna call this because I mess it up
all the time. It surprisingly, saving didn't really he didn't

(20:28):
get mad. Yeah, he never took me off, which was
really surprising. I mean, my hands are a little suspect anyway.
But so we're playing the championship crazy game. Sean Watson's
going crazy, We're battling, and we're about to do normal
kickoff and they run to me and they're like, don't forgot,

(20:49):
don't frege out. We're about to do the onside kick.
And I've never stood in the huddle because I was
just safety. So then running to me and like causing
this uproar was if anyone was paying attention, and they
would have been like, something's about happening, right, But anyway,
griff Adam Griffith, I think you say his name kicks it.
I just catch it. Be going to win championship, and

(21:12):
I felt like that in Kenyan Drake's like ninety something
yard kickcarf return, like two pivotal players because it was
so hard to stop de Shun. All right, let's talk
about Northern Dame career. They say you play, I have
not watched enough tape on you. They so you play
all over the field. Why how does that? How did

(21:32):
that come up? Like when did they realize, Like I
think this cog I can be here. I think he
can be here because he can be here. Yeah, Um,
I think obviously, just my size, given how big I
am for the position, um provides a little flexibility, and
I feel like I move up, move up my size.
So whether that's being in the slot or playing the post,
or coming down and covering mark or something. Um, I
feel like I can do all those things. But at school,

(21:55):
um Aloe Gilman, Jaylen Elliott to safety captains. They were
in what I mean, So I was pretty much just
coming and playing third down like Nickel um dime my
freshman year. But after they left, we lost a lot
of people in the secondary. So at that point I
told the coach, I was like, if I need to
play posts, will um Nickel like whatever? Just used me
as kneeb and kind of stuck um playbook wise, it

(22:19):
was kind of tough to get everything down, but I
got a good grasp wep in and continued this past year.
So hopefully I can do that at some capacity at
this level. But i know it's gonna be harder, but
I'm excited getting in the box. You got to be
pretty physical to get in there. Yeah. Have you ever
thought about that Joe Mixing over there at the Bengals

(22:41):
Naji Harris, Yes, d Nick Chubb with the Browns, because
you know a lot you know, they say, oh, man
call Himilton. Oh it's crazy man. That's that's they telling me, like, man,
it couldn't pass his God. And I'm you know, so
I'm like, okay, okay, I'll see him. You got here,
And I'm kind of you know, I always you know,

(23:03):
when I'm a rookie, y ass as when I was
the first round and people are looking at me like
trying either kind of like can this guy play ball?
I'm looking at you. I'm like you're kind of thin,
not thin, but kind of thin. You're pretty thin. So
obviously you play with a lot more funk. Well maybe
funk is the right word, but you know what, I
mean you play with a lot more. Yeah, obviously what

(23:26):
kind of get and you seem a very calm guy,
so obviously you're a different beast on the field than
you are just walk around every day. What kind of
what gets you going? I would say just the preparation,
Like this is most rewarding thing in the world in
my opinion, football. You know how much we go through
on a daily basis, the grind, Like why not go

(23:47):
out there and try to be the beast that you
know you can be? And that's what kind of got
me going, especially the other dame, Like I know, dudes
were looking at me to be that spark plug and
so if that's a big hit or if that's a pick,
or if that's a check being made, that was tough
the week throughout practice, Like just giving other dudes confidence,
that's kind of what gave me my push to keep going.

(24:08):
Like like you said in the box, you just gotta
have a different mentality. Like they in college. I wasn't
got who it was, Aj Dillon. You played Boston College,
big dude, obviously, and before the game, everybodys saying like
because they had backup running back. It was two fifties
as well, and then before the game, everybody saying like yo,
like be ready, like bring your big boy pants, this

(24:29):
and that, and I'm like I'm sending the hotel on
Friday night. And this kind of changed my whole outlook
on tackling. I'm like, I'm not gonna die, Like That's
how I approach it now. So I'm like, I'm just
gonna throw my body in there. Might hurt a little bit,
but most likely would be ready for next place. So
if and if a running back feels that from a dB,
they're kind of like, okay, like I'm not gonna try

(24:52):
him like how I would somebody else. So she just
kind of trying to gain that respect. Obviously, you win something,
you lose something, but I mean, I'm willing to lose
something to win the others. That mentality gets you to
draft night. I know you went to the comment, I
mean went to the draft did you enjoy? Because I
had a similar situation. I did not where it was

(25:14):
it It was honestly, I don't remember where. It's not
doing very memorable, but I didn't go because I just
felt like there was a lot that you had to
do there. Yeah, for sure? Is that true? I don't
really I've never even talked to him about that. Actually,
is that true? Where you like doing this and this
and old spides and this and this and yeah, definitely.

(25:35):
And the draft was on Thursday. I had to get
out there on Monday, and it's in Vegas, so I
was there from Monday to Friday. And that's a long
time in Vegas. That's the year in Vegas. And so
my family got there Tuesday, but I didn't really even
see them for real up until Thursday because I was
just working all day long. And then my friends were
there so like we would do stuff at night. But um,
it was a fun experience for sure, especially being in Vegas.

(25:57):
I don't know if it was somewhere else I would
have gone, but um, being in Vegas, like I definitely
have to go to that for sure. What is it
like getting a call that you're going to get that
you're going to be drafted at fourteen? Overall, it was
a real Like I've said this before, like I looked
down on my phone and it's kind of funny in
the green room, like the first few picks, like you

(26:20):
know who's going Like yeah, so like when like Aiding
goes to Detroit or like UM, Like Sauce goes to
the Jets at four, like everybody's still in the room like,
oh yeah, congrats, Like everybody's clapping, yeah and so, but
like once he gets like seven eight nine, like everybody's
just you can hear a pin drop. It's so weird.

(26:42):
And then you're just sitting there and all of a sudden,
you hear a family clapping and everybody's like like, congrats
to them. Yeah, So it's it's a little weird. It's
a little funny. At the same time, I wasn't really
stressing it that much because I know that like going
into the draft, I'm like, I'm gonna be drafted in
the first round NFL Draft. Like, although like you worked
so hard to go as how you can, like that's

(27:04):
been a dream since I was five years old, Like
what are you really complaining about the end of the day.
But it was cool, like in the call, being able
to share that moment with my family, like it just
encompassed everything that I've ever worked for and that they've
sacrificed for me. So I was definitely a special moment.
Did you have any team that you thought you would
go to? Um, honestly with me, it was like anywhere anywhere.

(27:28):
It was. What I was hearing before the draft was
like when my people were talking about was like seven
to fourteen, and luckily fourteen was Baltimore. I feel like
it was like and everybody's like, oh, like you fell
like stuff in that, but one like I play safety
and like it's just it is what it is with
the way they draft falls with it, but too, Like

(27:48):
I go to Baltimore, like one of the best franchises
in the NFL, Like you get to start a franchise
and no offense to the people we were picking earlier,
but like obviously they're picking early for a reason, and
you get to go to the franchise who's been there,
has done that, guys like you like Lamar like and
like immediately in contention with the Super Bowl, so be
able to learn from a great organization. It's like the

(28:10):
perfect storm for me. Edree gives you a call on
draft night. Now there's one thing I'm sure you do
know you haven't really been to a game yet, I
don't think with Baltimore, but you're gonna see two jerges
a lot. Ed Rey and ray Lewis very did not
call me when I got draft. I'm not safety, so
I'm not taking any beef. How is it to get

(28:31):
that call? It was dope. I mean, he's obviously best ever.
I'm a Sean Taylor got too, so one two best
ever safeties to ever played a game. And it's like,
this is a pinnacle of what I'm trying to get at.
So as much as I can pick his brain or
just understand not even just football stuff, just like his process,
like mentally how he has performed at this level for

(28:52):
so long. But like after I got drafted, like you know,
you do media after within thirty minutes, I was asked
about edvery like forty times. So I was like, okay,
like this is already becoming thing. But I talked to
him on that call about that and he was kind
of like, be your own man, like Edward's gonna be Edward.

(29:12):
Kyle Hamilton's gonna be Kyle Hamilton. So that really stuck
with me. At the same time, it's just be you
do what you can do. There's gonna be a bunch
of comparatons out there, noise and all that. You know
that with the media, So no offense to the media.
But but yeah, I mean that he dropped some nuggets
for sure, And I think that's what's the best part
about this NFL thing, Like you have all the resources

(29:36):
in front of you, like literally, you can be connected
with anybody who can give you great information just up
to whether you want to do it or not. And
I feel like I'm definitely gonna take advantage of that.
So you get drafted here, you look at the secondary.
I mean me, you got Marcus Peters, couple Pro Bowls,
Marcus Williams just signed a big deal, Chuck Clark, it's
kind of Ruther Deep through a wild Tony Jefferson just sound,

(29:57):
Kyle Fuller, a couple of Pro Bowls. You look at
a crazy room, what kind of it's all about earning
your stripes in the league. That's one thing that I've
when I when I got drafted, it was it was
kind of in a unique situation. I remember we had
Jimmy Smith who had I mean longtime raven game winning
playing in the Super Bowl, Brandon Carr had just signed

(30:18):
a deal, Tavon Young had just come off rookie year
starting I'm kind of sitting there like I don't really
feel like they really needed me. Specifically, there wasn't a
positional need, which the Ravens are known for, just drafting
the best available player. How do you kind of see
your fit or what kind of do you just plan
on doing to get on the field. Yeah, I feel

(30:41):
like it's everyday thing and just little things at the
same time. Like you said, getting respect, I think it's
huge at this level because you're playing with grown men
who've been here, and your first round you come in,
it's like, who are you? Kind of um. But I
try to just stay humble, keep a humble approach, keep
my head down, just keep working. You know, I'm gonna
make mistakes and practice like that, but it's trying to

(31:01):
make the same mistakes. Communicate. Coaches are getting me big,
getting on me a lot about that right now, communicating,
So trying to do everything I can, just little stuff
like that, and hopefully once we get closer to the season, camp,
preseason all comes together and then at that point, hopefully
during some playing time and but whether that be on
special teams like wherever it's needed, I'm I'm excited to do.

(31:22):
So That's kind of how it was. I was like,
I don't really care where I played, right, just give
me on the field, give me, give me on the field. Anyway,
I think I look back on my rookie year was
I didn't play, I didn't play much, but I learned
so much just sitting in the rooms with Eric Weddle

(31:45):
at the time. It was just crazy, Like I just
remember sitting with me and Chuck. It's like two rookies
that just got drafted. It was just so much knowledge
comes in from from the different vets that you'll talk
to it if you haven't already, but there's just so
much knowledge and um, different guys you meet and different things.
And then as as season goes on, end up starting

(32:06):
like the last four games and it just it just
just put your head down, get to work. I was
never trying to overstep. Yeah for any VET, I think
they threw away my shoes. Yeah, as a lot of
store I walk in, They're standing over the trash can
just looking at my shoes, and I'm just like did

(32:26):
you can't say anything though, it was it was a
there was a reason why they was like, bro, what
are you doing with these? I was like, you know, college,
so it's uh, it's fun. There's there's no there's no
crazy rookie hazing here and so you'll you'll be good.
But do you miss being a rookie? Are you like
being a vet? How does it feel to be a vet? Man?
It's weird because it goes so fast actually, like it

(32:49):
doesn't seem like I'm a vet, but people say that
it's so hard to understand though you know it's being kie.
It's just like you turn into a vet so quick.
Like at one point you're going into a game, and
I remember it, like I remember kind of when people
kind of really kind of knew who I was somewhat.
I mean, we actually got killed that game, but it

(33:11):
was against the Browns, and I just remember, actually Jimmy
Smith called me. He's like, bro, it's gonna be It's
gonna be big tomorrow. Like you're playing O. B J.
The Browns. You're matching up the entire game, following him everywhere.
And I just remember sitting there in the hotel room
the night for the game, and I'm like, I feel
like I can make a name for myself off this guy. Yeah,

(33:31):
And so now that narrative is like switched, and it's
like it's kind of what Harves was saying today, what
Ray Lewis said to him, it's like if I run,
if a running back, rookie running back runs ray Lewis over,
They're like, I just ran ray Lewis over. Yeah, Like
I just caught a passing ray Lewis. So every day
you gotta it's like you have to work even harder

(33:52):
to stay where you're at. And so that's that's basically
being a vent in this league. You get you earned
that respect, Like it was an honor for me for
different guys like to be like, Yo, what's up, rook man,
I really like your game and I'm just like Dana's
Dude's yeah, am, And so once you start doing those
type of things, like it just becomes such an honor

(34:14):
kind of to to where the shield where where where
the ravens. And that's kind of the difference now with
like being a VET. You go up to like young guys,
you're like, bro, I really liked your game. I really
like this, Like Denzel Awards are He's like only a
year younger in me, I think, But I'm like, bro,
I really like your game. You talk to this guy,
you talk to this guy, and so it's it's it's

(34:34):
just different, but the best thing. When you're a vet,
you're in such a routine, like you know, what really
is your schedule? I think when I was a rookie,
I just remember having so much time, Like I'm like, dang, bro,
like we have a lot of time. So I was like,
I want to go downtown Baltimore and see how it's going.
And then like week four comes around, You're like, bro,

(34:55):
I'm so tired because that rookie wall hits. Yeah, talking
about that rookie year man, it's it's it's definitely a thrill.
These long days they started to pay off, and uh,
you soak it all up and you kind of just
go from there. But I want to ask two more questions.
One question is what is something very memorable to you

(35:18):
that a coach has said to you just throughout your
whole whole career that that's stuck with you. UM Terry
Joseph was saved the coach at Notre Dame for my
two years, or for the first two years I was there.
He's now saved these coach at Texas UM. When I
came in, I was a five star when I got there,
so obviously very hard on me. Everybody was. And one

(35:40):
thing he told me was don't be too cool, and
that definitely stuck with me because, yeah, you see a
lot of guys who were just like too cool to
like run to the ball or too cool to make
a call um because I kind of feel like they
made it or something like that. But I feel like
I've kind of carried that with me even when I
was all American whatever, and the day in my junior year,

(36:02):
like still you gotta double down on it, kind of
like being a vet like you said, um on a
smaller scale obviously in college, but guys are looking at
you like I'm gonna not run the ball because Kyle
was not running the ball, Like why do I have
to run the ball? So you never know who's watching? Um?
But yeah, I would say, don't be too cool. That's
one good advice I gotten. And then confidence is everything,

(36:23):
I think in any no matter what you're doing, obviously
you've enstilled a lot of confidence. What is confidence to
Kyle Hamilton? I would say, confidence to me is just
preparation and knowing how good I am in the least
narcissistic where I can say that, um, but I know
I've prepared in a sense that allows my athletic abilities

(36:47):
to do what they can do. I'm trying to get
the play back down everything, and I know, like I
can't really like play like how I want to play
because I'm still trying to Obviously it's a process. It's
not like mad about it or anything. Gonna get there actually,
but um like yeah, notre Dame. Like once I had
to playbook everything, Like I was in a flow like
kind of like I said, like a mini vet, like

(37:07):
going into a game and knowing exactly what to do,
what everybody on the field is doing at that point
when the ball snap, you can just be Kyle at
that point, and I feel like that gives me confidence,
Like once I get to that level and just move
how I want to, Like, I don't think there's really
anybody who can perform. I got kidding, Kyle. Thank you
for your time, Appreciate you having me on. Thank you

(37:34):
first round Pick Club. Do you feel like, you know,
you we had two, you would have been, you know,
kind of been the star, but now it kind of
got split Like I was just me, you know what
I mean. They wouldn't have done that to me and
they would have shared my first round you know, attention
like you're in the club, but like you feel like, honestly, no,

(37:57):
I'm kind of great before Tyler gets deflected. Can I
get us too? So I'm just good in Mountain okay. COELH.