Ravens' Kyle Hamilton Inspired NFL Best Friend
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton entered the NFL with the expectation of being a star, and he has become just that. With two Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All-Pro nod in his first three seasons, he's arguably the best safety in the entire league.
In contrast, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Nick Jackson, Hamilton's childhood best friend, has had a much tougher path to the NFL.
Jackson played six years of college football at Virginia and Iowa, and only signed with the Buccaneers after trying out at their rookie minicamp in May. He performed well enough to earn a spot on the 90-man offseason roster, and with him continuing to impress, he now has a real shot to make the 53-man roster.
In the preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 9, Jackson recored a team-high six tackles with a sack and an interception, making him the only player in the league with a sack and a takeaway in preseason Week 1.
Hamilton's mother attended that game with Jackson's parents, and seeing videos of his best friend balling out made the star safety emotional.
"I think it's a little different when you hear it from somebody you literally grew up with," Hamilton told Fox Sports' Greg Auman. "We talk every single day. He was a little nervous going into it, understandably so. I was too, everybody is. It's a tough time, physically and mentally. I just tried to help him out, nothing to make him play better, but just to settle his head and make him more comfortable. He's done a great job and it's been really cool to see him playing well."
Hamilton and Jackson spent much of their childhoods playing together in the Atlanta area, with the former playing quarterback and the latter running back.
"He probably won't tell you this, but I was the reason he started playing tackle football," Hamilton said. "Before me, he was playing flag. He has a scarce amount of interceptions in his life, but one of them was off me when we were like 6 years old."
All these years later, they're still extremely close with one another. As Jackson begins his own NFL journey, he's incredibly appreciateive of Hamilton helping guide him along the way.
"He's like my brother," Jackson said. "He's been an unbelievable influence, and I really can't thank him enough. We've grown up since we were 4, pretty much talked every day, dinners every night. He's guided me through the process because he's been through it. We make the joke that he was first round and I was a rookie minicamp invite, so we have both ends of the spectrum on it. It's been an honor to lean on him."
