Notre Dame signee Kyle Hamilton ascends in 247Sports rankings, reaches five-star status

Kyle Hamilton can now be considered a five-star recruit, according to 247Sports.

The Notre Dame signee finished as the No. 1 safety and No. 15 overall player in the site's final updated rankings for the 2019 class. 247Sports released its top 100 on Tuesday, expanding its five-star ratings from 19 players to 32.

“(Being a five-star) would definitely be icing on the cake, but I don’t really think it is necessary,” Hamilton told ND Insider earlier this month at the All-American Bowl. “If it happens, then that would be awesome. But I’m not the kind of guy who is out here trying to play for a fifth star.

“I could (not) care less if they gave me a fifth star or demoted me to a three-star. I would still be the same player I want to be and would play that way until my career is over.”

Hamilton elevated from his previous spot at No. 22 overall. Of the 21 Irish signees, Hamilton marks the only one to achieve five-star status on 247Sports, Rivals or ESPN. He’s a four-star recruit on the latter two sites.

"Man, watch this kid's senior tape, "said Barton Simmons, 247Sports' director of recruiting, during the site's Facebook Live show. "This may be my favorite senior tape in this class. (Seattle Seahawks safety) Kam Chancellor is a (comparison) as a long-term guy because I think the way (Kyle's) body is developing — he's already at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.

"He's got 34-inch arms, huge wingspan. He is becoming a more physical specimen by the day. And his senior tape relative to his junior tape, huge jump forward. So athletic. Georgia wanted him out of the state of Georgia. Notre Dame ended up landing him, and I think he is going to be a big time prospect in that defense."

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder was the No. 66 safety in the 2019 class, according to 247Sports, when the Irish offered him 11 months ago. Hamilton’s body began to fill out, though. He then impressed at The Opening Finals in July and performed well as a senior at Atlanta Marist.

Hamilton registered 72 tackles, four interceptions, one TFL, one forced fumble, eight pass breakups and two blocked kicks last season. ND’s most recent 247Sports five-star recruit came in the 2016 class via offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer.

The Irish have the No. 12 recruiting class for 2019 on 247Sports.