Ravens coach John Harbaugh was baffled by one line of criticism he noticed popping out of the staff’s Saturday night follow at M&T Bank Stadium.
First-round decide Kyle Hamilton couldn’t stick with rookie free agent Bailey Gaither throughout a one-on-one protection drill, a lapse that drew loads of consideration as followers and analysts dissected probably the most extensively watched follow of coaching camp.
“Someone gave the opinion that he’s a limited guy who’s got to play in the box because they saw him try to cover a guy who ran like a 10.4-[second] 100 meters,” Harbaugh stated Monday. “We’re not going to match him up against a 10.4 100-meter guy, but he played man [coverage] today pretty good, as you saw.”
Harbaugh doesn’t typically carry up exterior critiques of his gamers simply so he can swat them down, however the unfavourable appraisal of Hamilton based mostly on a couple of follow performs struck him as notably misguided. The rookie thrived in additional delicate methods Saturday evening, spinning off a block to jam up an outdoor run and creating confusion for the offense along with his presnap positioning.
“He’s going to be very versatile; he’s going to play a lot of different spots,” Harbaugh stated, going out of his strategy to place the rookie’s efficiency in broader context.
This was at all times the promoting level for Hamilton, whose 6-foot-4, 220-pound body units him other than his fellow defensive backs in additional methods than one. Where he may cowl extra floor and make extra affect on the line of scrimmage than a smaller security, he’s maybe much less suited to blanket a fast slot receiver.
Hamilton took the criticism with good humor, noting on Twitter that he was “getting fried on this app.”
The former Notre Dame All-American has spent the primary week of coaching camp adjusting to NFL velocity and studying to take advantage of follow reps he receives behind beginning safeties Chuck Clark and Marcus Williams.
“I make a new mistake every day, and I’m just trying to fix it,” he stated. “A lot of this game is mental. You’ve got to be locked in, tuned in on the sideline, know what call is being run out there and just try to get mental reps. I’m still getting a good amount of reps, getting a good workout in for sure, but the guys keep me up to date with how they’re playing it, how the [starters] are playing it, and I try to come in and emulate what they’re doing. So I think it’s been good, even though I’m not technically a [starter].”
The Ravens used their first decide on Hamilton regardless of the very fact they already had two starters at security, making a probably awkward scenario with Clark, one of the vital revered gamers on protection. The incumbent starter has not spoken to reporters because the draft, although he has been a sometimes dependable presence at exercises and practices.
Hamilton, in the meantime, made robust first impressions on teammates and coaches throughout OTAs and necessary minicamp, however defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald stated he’s working to regain his momentum in coaching camp.
“The thing with Kyle is, I don’t think he left off from where he was in the spring,” Macdonald famous final week. “Sometimes that happens with rookies; they take a little dip and need to get caught back up. I keep saying the word trajectory, but he just keeps learning, keeps communicating. He’s a very sharp, very smart player, obviously plays fast. He can cover a ton of ground. We have great players back there, too. So, he has to earn his way onto the field.”
The fretting over Hamilton’s one-on-one efficiency touched on a broader level about coaching camp. The particular person battles between go catchers and defensive backs are the flashiest parts of follow. It’s straightforward for followers to erupt when a large receiver makes a contested catch or to gasp when a defender is left stumbling. But these moments supply restricted perception to a participant’s general efficiency.
“That’s one of those drills where the defense is wearing the ankle weights,” Harbaugh stated. “There’s no pass rush. There’s nobody in the quarterback’s face. They have a little bit more time to throw; they’re not under pressure, which they would be. That’s a zero-man type of scenario, so it’s toughest on the [defensive backs]. If a [defensive back] gets a win there, it’s a beautiful moment.”
Preseason, Week 1
TITANS@RAVENS
Thursday, Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Chs. 11, 4
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com