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Jeremy Hill, RB (LVR) (3 Viewers)

Jeremy Hill getting first-team work alongside Giovani Bernard

The Bengals want to improve their rushing attack that ranked just 18th in the NFL last year. With the promotion of Hue Jackson to offensive coordinator and the 2nd-round selection of Jeremy Hill in this year's draft, Cincinnati figures to make that improvement in 2014.

It's been evident in OTAs how high the team is on Hill while also wanting to see what he's capable of. ESPN's Coley Harvey reports Hill has been getting reps with the first-team offense, even alongside Giovani Bernard at times:

It's clear after the first two open OTAs that they are trying to see whether he'll be ready to be used regularly this fall. So far, Hill has gotten his share of hand-offs with the first-team unit alongside Bernard. The two have been in the backfield at the same time, in addition to trading roles as the lone back in single-back sets that get called.

This also means BenJarvus Green-Ellis is getting pushed back into a group of running backs that will be in a dog-fight just to earn a roster spot.

It's left veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis a little bit out of the starting picture. Green-Ellis has gotten his opportunities to work in Cincinnati's running back rotation, one that includes Rex Burkhead and Cedric Peerman, but it's clear Hill and Bernard are trending toward being the top tandem in the Bengals' backfield.

 
I have to wonder if the law firm is getting the Fred Jackson treatment. Last year, all the Buffalo coaches were chanting in union on how CJ Spiller a going to get the rock. Yet the season comes around and Mr. Jackson was called into action.

 
domvin said:
Jeremy Hill, 6'1'', 235. Vs Iowa

1st 10. 42 yards on power toss. Shows some patience cor play to develop

1st 10. 2 yards, shows more patience, toss left, nothing there

3rd 1. Finds crease against 8 man box for 6 yard gain

1st 5.power toss right, 15 yards

1st and G. Dive, stacked line and stopped

TD on qb keeper.

8 play drive, Hill ran 5 of them, 64 yards

1st 10. Cutback for 5 yards

2nd 5...impeded by pulling guard on trap, no gain

3rd. Not in, blue replaces (3rd down back)

1ST 10. tripped up, trash in backfield

2nd 10. Slips on turf on pass route out of backfield

3rd 10. Not in

Next series, out, rests

1st 10, 3 yards up middle

2nd 7. Quick pitch, good patience, good feet setup developing play

3rd 3. Outbreather

Punt

Next series, out for breather, comes in on 3rd and 2

Back in against 10 in the box, dive up the middle, stands DT straight up at los, and fights for 1st down. Tremendous leg drive

1st 10. Touchdown, Hill on 15 yard run, 10 in the box, allows blocks to develop and drags defender from 5 yard line, spinning off him for the td.

Next series

1st 10. Screws up blitz pick up

3rd 4. Trash at los, ability to toss defender away with free hand and fall forward for first

1st 10. Swing pass, catches ball fine, good form

2nd 8. Sweep, no blocking, strings out blockers, and plants to find crease for 2 yards with no blocking

3rd 6. Great blitz pick up, iniates blitz pick up, and maintains block

1st 10 off tackle, 2 yards

2nd 8, 28 yard gain on nice cutback, showing good vision

1st 10, 3rd carry in a row, up gut, dive, minimal gain

2 plays out, back in

3rd 6, delay sweep, 8 in box, 38 yards. Patient, lets play develop, finds crease, plants and shows nice burst on 4th quarter run, fights for extra yards with solid stiff arm and running angry

A few things watching this game. It was the most vanilla of ffense with mettenberger out. Frosh qb, jefferson very erratic. Simple offense of toss right and left, and Iowa stacked the box on numerous occasions. 8, 9, sometimes 10 in the box, and everyone knew where the ball was going, yet, Hill was able to create often where there was no play noreasy yards.

For a 235 lb guy, Hill...

Has exceptionally quick feet

Moves well for a bigger rb

Workhorse, 20 carry guy. Great stamina, strong in the 4th qtr.

Nice vision on tosses eluding second level

Picks feet up well thru los and avoiding trash

Strong. Drags tacklers from behind, arm tackles will not cut it, runs through em.

Keeps legs churning on contact, strong as s hips.

Runs angry, but also patient, has a good forward lean. Not afraid to iniate contact but has subtle moves to avoid contact as well.
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Good post.

 
Faust said:
Inside Slant: NFL Draft Day 2 matches

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

Excerpt:

At first glance, it might be difficult to understand why the Cincinnati Bengals felt compelled to use a second-round pick on a running back for the second consecutive year. But LSU's Jeremy Hills, taken No. 55 overall, is a strong inside runner on a team that needs to improve in that area.

Last season, Hills averaged 7.9 yards per carry between the tackles, the highest figure in major college football. One in every five such attempts went for at least 10 yards. He also faced at least eight defenders in the box on 96 of 203 rushes last season. In those situations, he averaged 8.0 yards per rush (also a national high) and scored 15 touchdowns.

Neither Giovani Bernard (3.8 yards per carry) nor BenJarvus Green-Ellis (3.5) excelled in that area last season for the Bengals. Hills is a nice stylistic complement to Bernard, who has playmaking ability outside the tackles (4.94 yards per carry last season).
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Good post, too.

Another stat I thought was interesting and suggestive was his yard per carry average in 2013 broke an SEC record set by Garrison Hearst that stood for several decades.

They are called highlights* for a reason, but seemingly with that stat, either Hill wasn't getting stopped short a lot, was breaking some long runs, or both, and that lines up with what I see below.

He looks niftier than Hyde to me. Hill flashes vision/instincts, power, contact balance, good feet, short area quickness, above average elusiveness for his size and more than adequate hand-eye coordination and athleticism as a pass catcher out of the backfield, imo. I see a lot of plays where he is hitting creases and not necessarily running through gaping holes.

I've seen his balance questioned, and at times he does seem to lean too much, get in front of his feet and out of control, but I'd cite his balance (as it relates to tackle breaking) as a positive, overall.

If the rushing distribution in 2013 was 220 carries for the now possibly "disbarred" Law Firm and about 170 for Bernard as a rookie, and the overall run game pie is expected to grow with Gruden out and Hue Jackson in as OC, I could easily see both of them eclipsing 200+ carries, with the rationale that Bernard is no longer a rookie and could have an expanded role (possibly including more rushes as well as touches in the passing game, either out of the backfield or split out as a RB/WR hybrid, ala Faulk/Westbrook/Bush), and Hill appears to be vastly more explosive and talented than the plodding, soon to be obsolescent BJGE. If Hill becomes their second consecutive round two RB hit, CIN could potentially have one of the better young tandems in the league. Their respective skill sets and games complement each other extremely well.

The Benagals could have a very dynamic offense, with AJ Green and Eifert, so there could be a lot of scoring opportunity for Bernard and Hill. Given his size, it wouldn't be a surprise if Hill has more rushing TDs, though I'm not sure they will necessarily employ a dedicated goal line back, so Bernard should get his, too.

Hill does have character concerns and off-field red flags.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_67w8sjuo8

* I get that LSU had great surrounding talent on offense, including the OL, but in regards to the conference record yards per carry average, there must have been other good offenses and OLs in the SEC, too, in the intervening decades since Garrison Hearst played, which seems to be a testament to Hill's talent.

The three top drafted RBs in 2014 all went within four picks (54-57). Many thought Hyde was the best RB in the class, but CIN preferred Hill. He missed being the #1 RB by one pick, and if the TEN and CIN slots had been flipped, I don't think there is much doubt Hill would have been the first RB drafted (as Bernard was last year). Has a team ever drafted the top RB in a class two years in a row (the progressive devaluation of the position with the top picks increasingly getting pushed out of the first round entirely and further down the second, seemingly increases the liklihood, without as much draft capital needed to be invested to accomplish)?

I like the fact that Hill was schooled in a pro style offense by an OC in Cameron with NFL OC (and forgettable HC) pedigree, sandwiching his lone HC season of 1-15 in MIA between half decade stints in SD and BAL (combined 100-57), in which he oversaw first Tomlinson than Rice at RB.

The combination of youth (21) and low mileage (only 345 carries and 371 touches in his collegiate career) is also appealing.

Though an oft-invoked comp, I don't think of Blount when I see Hill (around 6'0", 240 lbs. in college, now listed at a blown up, circa twilight years Bettis-like 270ish - fitting he should land in PIT). There isn't a current RB in the NFL that comes immediately to mind, but, while not as much of an in his prime size/speed specimen or as powerful, stylistically as a runner, I find Hill somewhat reminiscent of Steven Jackson (albeit a lesser talent).

 
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Nearest comp is Daniel Thomas.

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

NFLDraftScout.com -

Inside: Strong inside runner with a very good lean, always falls forward when wrapped up or chopped down. Nice spin move to come off tackles inside, pick up an extra yard or two. Presses the line and is very effective on quick-hitters. Adequate selling ball fake inside, but could lower his shoulder and play with more urgency. Combines his strength with enough elusiveness to avoid getting caught in the backfield, but is not elite in this area. Plows ahead to move the pile. Does not own exceptional vision, but more often than not will pick his way through trash inside. Secures the ball in close quarters.

Outside: Lacks breakaway speed and is a better north-south runner than east-west, but covers a lot of ground with his long strides once in the open. Also has a bit of wiggle to freeze and shoot by oncoming defenders in the open field. Keeps the ball in his right hand on most plays, needs to switch to left more consistently. Gets pitches to the outside, capable one-cut or jump-cut runner who plants and drives into the hole. Only adequate vision but can find lanes on the run when heading outside, and flashes the ability to cut back against the grain to make a big play. Usually keeps the ball high and tight, but his long arms make it easier for defenders to strip him if he holds the ball loose when trying to make a move (four fumbles, three lost in 2009; 7-4 in 2010).

Breaking tackles: Gives good effort to get through tackles whether pounding inside or running in the field. Bounces off piles or when fullback is stuffed inside, gets the corner to get extra yardage. High stepper who will run through cut and arm tackles. Strong stiff arm. Takes defensive backs for a ride when downfield. Will lose his balance when trying to make cuts or shake and bake in space. May not have enough speed to avoid NFL defenders as easily as he does against college talent.

Blocking: Could be very strong in pass protection, but will be a liability until he puts in more effort. Keeps a strong base and moves well laterally to mirror linebackers and defensive ends when focused. Likes to be physical, but too often that means he throws a shoulder into an oncoming defender, failing to sustain so his man can join the play. Gets in the quarterback's way on occasion being hesitant in protection in the pocket. Is strong on the outside against cornerbacks when lined up at receiver, but needs to give more consistent effort. Acts as fullback on delay quarterback draws, but likes to throw a shoulder instead of using his hands to move linebackers out of the hole. Rolls out with the quarterback as a personal protector; willing to hit but is too easily pushed aside by linebackers.

Receiving: Reliable receiver on screens, in the flat, and even lines up at split end. Uses his length to adjust to poor throws and hands to snatch the ball from the air outside his frame. Presents a big target for quarterbacks on screens, finds open spaces if there is traffic inside. Moves downfield to take advantage of attacking defenders when quarterback scrambles to his side. Lines up at split end on occasion, becomes a size mismatch on the outside but is inexperienced running routes at that spot and is rarely challenged at the line of scrimmage. Most routes are rounded off, must learn to run more crisp routes and sell them more emphatically.

Intangibles: Team leader despite being a JUCO transfer. Teammates appreciate his toughness, played through pain in his left shoulder most of 2009 but still led the conference in rushes. Academics were a major issue for Thomas, so scouts will be curious if he can learn complex NFL offenses
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cstu said:
Nearest comp is Daniel Thomas.

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

NFLDraftScout.com -

Inside: Strong inside runner with a very good lean, always falls forward when wrapped up or chopped down. Nice spin move to come off tackles inside, pick up an extra yard or two. Presses the line and is very effective on quick-hitters. Adequate selling ball fake inside, but could lower his shoulder and play with more urgency. Combines his strength with enough elusiveness to avoid getting caught in the backfield, but is not elite in this area. Plows ahead to move the pile. Does not own exceptional vision, but more often than not will pick his way through trash inside. Secures the ball in close quarters.

Outside: Lacks breakaway speed and is a better north-south runner than east-west, but covers a lot of ground with his long strides once in the open. Also has a bit of wiggle to freeze and shoot by oncoming defenders in the open field. Keeps the ball in his right hand on most plays, needs to switch to left more consistently. Gets pitches to the outside, capable one-cut or jump-cut runner who plants and drives into the hole. Only adequate vision but can find lanes on the run when heading outside, and flashes the ability to cut back against the grain to make a big play. Usually keeps the ball high and tight, but his long arms make it easier for defenders to strip him if he holds the ball loose when trying to make a move (four fumbles, three lost in 2009; 7-4 in 2010).

Breaking tackles: Gives good effort to get through tackles whether pounding inside or running in the field. Bounces off piles or when fullback is stuffed inside, gets the corner to get extra yardage. High stepper who will run through cut and arm tackles. Strong stiff arm. Takes defensive backs for a ride when downfield. Will lose his balance when trying to make cuts or shake and bake in space. May not have enough speed to avoid NFL defenders as easily as he does against college talent.

Blocking: Could be very strong in pass protection, but will be a liability until he puts in more effort. Keeps a strong base and moves well laterally to mirror linebackers and defensive ends when focused. Likes to be physical, but too often that means he throws a shoulder into an oncoming defender, failing to sustain so his man can join the play. Gets in the quarterback's way on occasion being hesitant in protection in the pocket. Is strong on the outside against cornerbacks when lined up at receiver, but needs to give more consistent effort. Acts as fullback on delay quarterback draws, but likes to throw a shoulder instead of using his hands to move linebackers out of the hole. Rolls out with the quarterback as a personal protector; willing to hit but is too easily pushed aside by linebackers.

Receiving: Reliable receiver on screens, in the flat, and even lines up at split end. Uses his length to adjust to poor throws and hands to snatch the ball from the air outside his frame. Presents a big target for quarterbacks on screens, finds open spaces if there is traffic inside. Moves downfield to take advantage of attacking defenders when quarterback scrambles to his side. Lines up at split end on occasion, becomes a size mismatch on the outside but is inexperienced running routes at that spot and is rarely challenged at the line of scrimmage. Most routes are rounded off, must learn to run more crisp routes and sell them more emphatically.

Intangibles: Team leader despite being a JUCO transfer. Teammates appreciate his toughness, played through pain in his left shoulder most of 2009 but still led the conference in rushes. Academics were a major issue for Thomas, so scouts will be curious if he can learn complex NFL offenses
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Nope.

 
There is something special about this guy. He can do it all.

I can't get out of my mind how he put the team on his back this past New Years Day vs Iowa. He looks like an NFL Running Back.

Let's play the LSU way better game.

Jeremy Hill is way better than...

Steven Ridley (he could be a useful NFL back without the fumbling)

Joseph Addai

Kevin Faulk

Domanick Davis

Harvey Williams

Best/most impressive LSU back of all -time? Besides the Benedict Arnold punch?..

 
Brewtown said:
I think Hill is going to be a very good NFL RB... He is a part of my top 4 RBs and I am having a tough time differentiating between the four....

Currently I have:

Sankey

Mason

Hill

Hyde.....

Hill just looks like an NFL RB.... I know his combine was not great, but that film jumps at me....
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Going to be a Stud!All four of the above are!!!

Crappy/pedestrian class my ***

 
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Bob Magaw said:
Faust said:
Inside Slant: NFL Draft Day 2 matches

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

Excerpt:

At first glance, it might be difficult to understand why the Cincinnati Bengals felt compelled to use a second-round pick on a running back for the second consecutive year. But LSU's Jeremy Hills, taken No. 55 overall, is a strong inside runner on a team that needs to improve in that area.

Last season, Hills averaged 7.9 yards per carry between the tackles, the highest figure in major college football. One in every five such attempts went for at least 10 yards. He also faced at least eight defenders in the box on 96 of 203 rushes last season. In those situations, he averaged 8.0 yards per rush (also a national high) and scored 15 touchdowns.

Neither Giovani Bernard (3.8 yards per carry) nor BenJarvus Green-Ellis (3.5) excelled in that area last season for the Bengals. Hills is a nice stylistic complement to Bernard, who has playmaking ability outside the tackles (4.94 yards per carry last season).
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Good post, too.

Another stat I thought was interesting and suggestive was his yard per carry average in 2013 broke an SEC record set by Garrison Hearst that stood for several decades.

They are called highlights* for a reason, but seemingly with that stat, either Hill wasn't getting stopped short a lot, was breaking some long runs, or both, and that lines up with what I see below.

He looks niftier than Hyde to me. Hill flashes vision/instincts, power, contact balance, good feet, short area quickness, above average elusiveness for his size and more than adequate hand-eye coordination and athleticism as a pass catcher out of the backfield, imo. I see a lot of plays where he is hitting creases and not necessarily running through gaping holes.

I've seen his balance questioned, and at times he does seem to lean too much, get in front of his feet and out of control, but I'd cite his balance (as it relates to tackle breaking) as a positive, overall.

If the rushing distribution in 2013 was 220 carries for the now possibly "disbarred" Law Firm and about 170 for Bernard as a rookie, and the overall run game pie is expected to grow with Gruden out and Hue Jackson in as OC, I could easily see both of them eclipsing 200+ carries, with the rationale that Bernard is no longer a rookie and could have an expanded role (possibly including more rushes as well as touches in the passing game, either out of the backfield or split out as a RB/WR hybrid, ala Faulk/Westbrook/Bush), and Hill appears to be vastly more explosive and talented than the plodding, soon to be obsolescent BJGE. If Hill becomes their second consecutive round two RB hit, CIN could potentially have one of the better young tandems in the league. Their respective skill sets and games complement each other extremely well.

The Benagals could have a very dynamic offense, with AJ Green and Eifert, so there could be a lot of scoring opportunity for Bernard and Hill. Given his size, it wouldn't be a surprise if Hill has more rushing TDs, though I'm not sure they will necessarily employ a dedicated goal line back, so Bernard should get his, too.

Hill does have character concerns and off-field red flags.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_67w8sjuo8

* I get that LSU had great surrounding talent on offense, including the OL, but in regards to the conference record yards per carry average, there must have been other good offenses and OLs in the SEC, too, in the intervening decades since Garrison Hearst played, which seems to be a testament to Hill's talent.

The three top drafted RBs in 2014 all went within four picks (54-57). Many thought Hyde was the best RB in the class, but CIN preferred Hill. He missed being the #1 RB by one pick, and if the TEN and CIN slots had been flipped, I don't think there is much doubt Hill would have been the first RB drafted (as Bernard was last year). Has a team ever drafted the top RB in a class two years in a row (the progressive devaluation of the position with the top picks increasingly getting pushed out of the first round entirely and further down the second, seemingly increases the liklihood, without as much draft capital needed to be invested to accomplish)?

I like the fact that Hill was schooled in a pro style offense by an OC in Cameron with NFL OC (and forgettable HC) pedigree, sandwiching his lone HC season of 1-15 in MIA between half decade stints in SD and BAL (combined 100-57), in which oversaw first Tomlinson than Rice at RB.

The combination of youth (21) and low mileage (only 345 carries and 371 touches in his collegiate career) is also appealing.

Though an oft-invoked comp, I don't think of Blount when I see Hill (around 6'0", 240 lbs. in college, now listed at a blown up, circa twilight years Bettis-like 270ish - fitting he should land in PIT). There isn't a current RB in the NFL that comes immediately to mind, but, while not as much of an in his prime size/speed specimen or as powerful, stylistically as a runner, I find Hill somewhat reminiscent of Steven Jackson (albeit a lesser talent).
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Corey Dillon as a comp?

 
I like the Dillon comp.

Second round pick (43), 6'1", 225 lbs., deceptive speed and elusiveness, ran with power and authority, good hands, 4 X Pro Bowler.

 
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That showed one drop. Even a player with good hands can make a concentration drop.

Whereas if a RB has bad hands, hard to make a catch like the one from the combine that starts around the 1:08 mark.

Doesn't fight the ball, looks like a natural hands catcher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MujAWleZuHY

 
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Bob Magaw said:
That showed one drop. Even a player with good hands can make a concentration drop.

Whereas if a RB has bad hands, hard to make a catch like the one from the combine that starts around the 1:08 mark.

Doesn't fight the ball, looks like a natural hands catcher.

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Hill's hands are fine. Perhaps even good. I think he dropped 2 passes last year and he made some tough catches. Pretty comical that somebody went out of their way to try and diminish his ability there.
 
jurb26 said:
That showed one drop. Even a player with good hands can make a concentration drop.

Whereas if a RB has bad hands, hard to make a catch like the one from the combine that starts around the 1:08 mark.

Doesn't fight the ball, looks like a natural hands catcher.

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I'll be honest...I don't like the guy personally and subconsciously look for reasons not to like his play.

However, 2 drops with 18 catches is a 10% drop rate... ;)

 
cstu said:
That showed one drop. Even a player with good hands can make a concentration drop.

Whereas if a RB has bad hands, hard to make a catch like the one from the combine that starts around the 1:08 mark.

Doesn't fight the ball, looks like a natural hands catcher.

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Yeah, the other "drop" was a one handed attempt that was basically broke up by the LB. Also, that was over 2 years, not just last year. So it's it's a 7% drop rate. Hill has pretty good hands.

 
MAC_32 said:
SaintsInDome2006 said:
OrangeJulius said:
Cam Cameron, the offensive coordinator at LSU this year, recently told me Gil Brandt that he believes Hill is one of the best running backs he's been around, from the standpoint of power, the ability to catch the ball, etc. When a guy like Cameron, who's been in the NFL as a head coach and offensive coordinator, speaks of a player that highly, you've got to take notice.
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I keep thinking the Saints have a placeholder for Hill. He can catch and run and played in Cam's pro style offense, I loved watching him run and it always seemed like he never got enough chances because of the Tigers' crowded backfield. Everyone in NO would probably be pretty damn excited about the forthcoming season thinking about Pierre, Khiry, Ingram and Hill all in the same backfield, wow. Of course that would recalibrate the FF value of NO RBs yet again but hey it would be fun to watch. Hopefully he's there in the end of the 3rd, but I doubt it - yet I'm not sure who would jump to the 2nd to get him either. If the Saints really want him they would have to use that late 2nd I believe.
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Hill can catch?
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Mac_32 thinks that he can't catch... He must NOT have watched him...

 
elguapo07 said:
Bob Magaw said:
Faust said:
Inside Slant: NFL Draft Day 2 matches

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

Excerpt:

At first glance, it might be difficult to understand why the Cincinnati Bengals felt compelled to use a second-round pick on a running back for the second consecutive year. But LSU's Jeremy Hills, taken No. 55 overall, is a strong inside runner on a team that needs to improve in that area.

Last season, Hills averaged 7.9 yards per carry between the tackles, the highest figure in major college football. One in every five such attempts went for at least 10 yards. He also faced at least eight defenders in the box on 96 of 203 rushes last season. In those situations, he averaged 8.0 yards per rush (also a national high) and scored 15 touchdowns.

Neither Giovani Bernard (3.8 yards per carry) nor BenJarvus Green-Ellis (3.5) excelled in that area last season for the Bengals. Hills is a nice stylistic complement to Bernard, who has playmaking ability outside the tackles (4.94 yards per carry last season).
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Good post, too.

Another stat I thought was interesting and suggestive was his yard per carry average in 2013 broke an SEC record set by Garrison Hearst that stood for several decades.

They are called highlights* for a reason, but seemingly with that stat, either Hill wasn't getting stopped short a lot, was breaking some long runs, or both, and that lines up with what I see below.

He looks niftier than Hyde to me. Hill flashes vision/instincts, power, contact balance, good feet, short area quickness, above average elusiveness for his size and more than adequate hand-eye coordination and athleticism as a pass catcher out of the backfield, imo. I see a lot of plays where he is hitting creases and not necessarily running through gaping holes.

I've seen his balance questioned, and at times he does seem to lean too much, get in front of his feet and out of control, but I'd cite his balance (as it relates to tackle breaking) as a positive, overall.

If the rushing distribution in 2013 was 220 carries for the now possibly "disbarred" Law Firm and about 170 for Bernard as a rookie, and the overall run game pie is expected to grow with Gruden out and Hue Jackson in as OC, I could easily see both of them eclipsing 200+ carries, with the rationale that Bernard is no longer a rookie and could have an expanded role (possibly including more rushes as well as touches in the passing game, either out of the backfield or split out as a RB/WR hybrid, ala Faulk/Westbrook/Bush), and Hill appears to be vastly more explosive and talented than the plodding, soon to be obsolescent BJGE. If Hill becomes their second consecutive round two RB hit, CIN could potentially have one of the better young tandems in the league. Their respective skill sets and games complement each other extremely well.

The Benagals could have a very dynamic offense, with AJ Green and Eifert, so there could be a lot of scoring opportunity for Bernard and Hill. Given his size, it wouldn't be a surprise if Hill has more rushing TDs, though I'm not sure they will necessarily employ a dedicated goal line back, so Bernard should get his, too.

Hill does have character concerns and off-field red flags.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_67w8sjuo8

* I get that LSU had great surrounding talent on offense, including the OL, but in regards to the conference record yards per carry average, there must have been other good offenses and OLs in the SEC, too, in the intervening decades since Garrison Hearst played, which seems to be a testament to Hill's talent.

The three top drafted RBs in 2014 all went within four picks (54-57). Many thought Hyde was the best RB in the class, but CIN preferred Hill. He missed being the #1 RB by one pick, and if the TEN and CIN slots had been flipped, I don't think there is much doubt Hill would have been the first RB drafted (as Bernard was last year). Has a team ever drafted the top RB in a class two years in a row (the progressive devaluation of the position with the top picks increasingly getting pushed out of the first round entirely and further down the second, seemingly increases the liklihood, without as much draft capital needed to be invested to accomplish)?

I like the fact that Hill was schooled in a pro style offense by an OC in Cameron with NFL OC (and forgettable HC) pedigree, sandwiching his lone HC season of 1-15 in MIA between half decade stints in SD and BAL (combined 100-57), in which oversaw first Tomlinson than Rice at RB.

The combination of youth (21) and low mileage (only 345 carries and 371 touches in his collegiate career) is also appealing.

Though an oft-invoked comp, I don't think of Blount when I see Hill (around 6'0", 240 lbs. in college, now listed at a blown up, circa twilight years Bettis-like 270ish - fitting he should land in PIT). There isn't a current RB in the NFL that comes immediately to mind, but, while not as much of an in his prime size/speed specimen or as powerful, stylistically as a runner, I find Hill somewhat reminiscent of Steven Jackson (albeit a lesser talent).
Click to expand...
Corey Dillon as a comp?
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Perhaps Le'Veon Bell as a comp.

 
I like the Bell comp, too, Hill not as big, but looks more explosive. Bell's hands are probably better.

I tend to weight talent more than opportunity in dynasty (at times to a fault).

Maybe it is this way in a lot of classes (unless there is a rare talent like Peterson), but the talent of the top four RBs was arguably pretty even (I liked Hyde, Hill, Mason and Sankey), so destination figured prominently in dynasty ADP.

If Hyde, Hill or Mason had been drafted by TEN, it is very likely they would have been the first RB taken in many dynasty rookie drafts (Hyde was anyways, in some cases - SF could also be a great destination as soon as 2015, run first offense, great OL, Gore is in the twilight of his career and Marcus Lattimore may not be the same).

 
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This (in-season) scouting report dates back to last year, I'm only citing it because his take is close to verbatim to things I see about his physical tools, skill set and game.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000250028/article/lsus-jeremy-hill-forcing-scouts-to-take-notice

LSU's Jeremy Hill forcing scouts to take notice

By Bucky Brooks

Sept. 24, 2013

The classic, downhill running back is on the verge of extinction in college football, but that only makes NFL scouts more appreciative of a workhorse runner when they see one.

With LSU's Jeremy Hill showing impressive running skills and a rugged game that is ideally suited for grinding it out between the tackles, the buzz is slowly growing in NFL circles that Hill could be a legitimate bell cow at the next level.

Now, I know the character concerns and off-field issues surrounding Hill will make some NFL scouts pause, but his talent warrants serious consideration based on his spectacular performance since rejoining the Tigers' lineup this fall. In three appearances, Hill has totaled 351 rushing yards on 42 carries with six touchdowns. He has topped the 100-yard mark in consecutive games and sports an impressive 8.4 yards per attempt on the season. Those numbers are remarkable for any running back, especially a power runner who grinds it out between the tackles.

Watching tape of Hill's play against Kent State and Auburn, I believe the 6-foot-2, 235-pound sophomore is an old-school power runner with a dynamic game. He excels at moving piles between the tackles, yet shows surprising speed and quickness getting to the second level. His acceleration and burst is uncommon for a runner of his size, which makes him a tough runner to bring down in the secondary. With Hill also displaying terrific vision and instincts, it is easy to fall in love with his ability to make plays against a loaded box.

Although Hill must sustain his impressive play against a tough SEC slate that includes dates with Georgia and Alabama, the fact that he has already topped the 100-yard mark five times against SEC competition suggests that he is built to shine against top defenses. If he continues to dazzle with the spotlight squarely on him, NFL scouts will certainly consider him an intriguing franchise-caliber running back in a few years.

 
Had an owner pull the old "post a trade and then revoke it" move on me looking for Hill in exchange for Sims and Tilefero or whatever his name is in Baltimore. I shot back with Hill + a 2015 1st rounder for Watkins.

 
Just got him at 1-12 as a consolation prize to missing out on Freeman and Ebron who slipped to 1-11. Starting to think though that it may not be a consolation as much as a blessing he fell and I needed a running back.

 
I got him a 2.09 (21st overall) back in our draft on June 4th. He was the 8th running back taken. The Gio owner passed on him 3 times before I snagged him with my first pick. Idiot. He picked Watkins, Sankey, and Seastrunk :confused: with Hill still on the board.

He then made the offer above to me. He took Seastrunk inexplicably at 2.5 (17th overall) with Hill sitting there staring him right in the face. Must have been drunk.

 
I didn't like Seastrunk more than Hill before the NFL draft, and still didn't after. That is a bit of a puzzler and head scratcher pick for the Bernard owner. I don't think you are going to get Watkins (giving up on his first pick for a prospect he passed on three times, even with the 2015 first rounder), BUT, Hill could become a lot more valuable in the near future (in general, and to Bernard owners specifically) if he takes on a Law Firm-type role in the RBBC, and looks more explosive doing it. He might even be startable as a RB2 for some teams (not sure if it will be as soon as this year). Bernard was about RB15 as a rookie getting the short end of the RBBC carry distribution (170 to 220 for Law Firm). He does get a lot of receptions, which helps, especially in PPR scoring. Bernard also appeared to wear down at the end of the season, they may want to put him on some kind of carry/touch "pitch count" to maximize and preserve his in-game and season long (hopefully including the playoffs - and an improvement over the past three years disappointing winless record) explosiveness. IF Hill emerges this year or next with half or more of the carries (a role he is seemingly almost purpose-built for), and proves to be a good goal line runner and effective winning end game clock grinder, I think he has a lot of upside and could be a very pleasant surprise. I'm expecting it (with the proviso or caveat that Law Firm is out of the picture, which I'm more confident about in 2015 than 2014 - though Hill is reportedly already listed ahead of Law Firm on the depth chart).

 
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Bob Magaw said:
I didn't like Seastrunk more than Hill before the NFL draft, and still didn't after. That is a bit of a puzzler and head scratcher pick for the Bernard owner. I don't think you are going to get Watkins (giving up on his first pick for a prospect he passed on three times, even with the 2015 first rounder), BUT, Hill could become a lot more valuable in the near future (in general, and to Bernard owners specifically) if he takes on a Law Firm-type role in the RBBC, and looks more explosive doing it. He might even be startable as a RB2 for some teams (not sure if it will be as soon as this year). Bernard was about RB15 as a rookie getting the short end of the RBBC carry distribution. He does get a lot of receptions, which helps, especially in PPR scoring. IF Hill emerges this year or next with half or more of the carries (a role he is seemingly almost purpose-built for), and proves to be a good goal line runner and effective winning end game clock grinder, I think he has a lot of upside and could be a very pleasant surprise. I'm expecting it (with the proviso or caveat that Law Firm is out of the picture, which I'm more confident about in 2015 than 2014 - though Hill is reportedly already listed ahead of Law Firm on the depth chart).
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BJGE was RB49 in PPG last year. How much more upside to you think he has even if he takes over BJGE's role?

As a Gio owner I'd rather not spend a 2nd round pick on a handcuff. I was able to get Tre Mason two picks after Hill and would have done it even if Hill was on the board.

 
I play mostly in 14-16 team PPR leagues. I checked for around RB24 (low-end RB2) in several PPR leagues, and DeAngelo Williams fell in that range last year (his season finish, not on a PPG basis - he did miss one game).

He had 201-843-3 rushing, 26-333-1 receiving (impressive yards per reception average).

The reception totals might be high, but I think he will have more than 4 rushing TDs (Williams combined total).

I don't know if he will reach that level as a rookie, due to uncertainty about Law Firm, but I don't expect him to be around much longer, after which Hill should have a more defined role.

In 2013, CIN tied-third with 33 passing TDs and were just outside the top 10 with 4,318 passing yards. They tied-13th with 14 rushing TDs and were 18th with 1,755 rushing yards. Part of the upside imo is on the basis of new OC Hue Jackson stating his intent to put a greater emphasis on the run. Plus, I do think they have a strong enough passing game to put Bernard and Hill in position to score a lot.

 
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I agree. Jackson is a big reason I like Hill to be honest. I like him more and more with each passing week. I don't know that there is a back I like more than Hill outside of Sankey right now. I agree with the poster above that if Hill had gone to Tennessee, he's be the top rookie RB - same with Hyde and Mason.

I think Hill, as a rookie, will already be better than the pedestrian BJGE. I think his carries will be close to Bernards by the end of the season. I don't think he will catch as many but he might surprise. If Hugh starts pounding Hill and he's nailing down good yardage in a close game, I don't see him going away from him. It's not his style. I could see games early in the season against Baltimore, Atlanta, and Tennessee being big confidence booster for Jackson and Hill.

 
Brewtown said:
Bengals may Dramatically Reduce Pass Attempts

Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson believes new OC Hue Jackson intends to "take the load off" Andy Dalton, and reduce his pass attempts from last year's 586 to "closer to Russell Wilson's number of 407."

Hobson believes the Bengals may scrap Jay Gruden's old high-volume short to intermediate passing game, and allow the "running game to open up the deep ball." This, of course, is Jackson's offense. He's a power-run coach with vertical-pass leanings. Turning Dalton into a low-volume game manager would significantly curb Dalton's fantasy appeal. It would also almost certainly curb the Bengals' team turnover rate. Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill stand to benefit.

Source: bengals.com Jun 19 - 9:03 PM
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fade fade fade. avoiding all bengals. this is a recipe for an anemic offense.

 
cvnpoka said:
Brewtown said:
Bengals may Dramatically Reduce Pass Attempts

Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson believes new OC Hue Jackson intends to "take the load off" Andy Dalton, and reduce his pass attempts from last year's 586 to "closer to Russell Wilson's number of 407."

Hobson believes the Bengals may scrap Jay Gruden's old high-volume short to intermediate passing game, and allow the "running game to open up the deep ball." This, of course, is Jackson's offense. He's a power-run coach with vertical-pass leanings. Turning Dalton into a low-volume game manager would significantly curb Dalton's fantasy appeal. It would also almost certainly curb the Bengals' team turnover rate. Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill stand to benefit.

Source: bengals.com Jun 19 - 9:03 PM
Click to expand...
fade fade fade. avoiding all bengals. this is a recipe for an anemic offense.
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disagree. With those receivers and that running game, if they can open up the secondary a bit, they are going to make more dynamic plays. They may be devalued receivers in PPR just based on fewer pass attempts, but I don't think the yards and TDs are going to go down much. Also, with the plan to line Gio up in the WR position, this should really keep the defense guessing.

I think the offense this year is going to be much better than last year. I was never a big fan of Gruden and think Jackson is going to increase efficiency if he can get the players to buy in.

 
I also think the while the passing numbers may suffer a bit, the rushing numbers, first downs, and scoring opportunities will actually increase.

Dalton isn't great. He threw 20 interceptions last season. That's 20 killed drives.

 
cvnpoka said:
Brewtown said:
Bengals may Dramatically Reduce Pass Attempts

Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson believes new OC Hue Jackson intends to "take the load off" Andy Dalton, and reduce his pass attempts from last year's 586 to "closer to Russell Wilson's number of 407."

Hobson believes the Bengals may scrap Jay Gruden's old high-volume short to intermediate passing game, and allow the "running game to open up the deep ball." This, of course, is Jackson's offense. He's a power-run coach with vertical-pass leanings. Turning Dalton into a low-volume game manager would significantly curb Dalton's fantasy appeal. It would also almost certainly curb the Bengals' team turnover rate. Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill stand to benefit.

Source: bengals.com Jun 19 - 9:03 PM
Click to expand...
fade fade fade. avoiding all bengals. this is a recipe for an anemic offense.
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Did you fade Lynch last year?

 
You know who's really good? Jeremey hill, thats who. Hes a stud. I mean, so is Aj green. Oh, and eifert. He's a tier one talent. And so is gresham. And that marvin jones kid. What a beast he's turned out to be. And sanu, too. But man just look at that giovanni bernard.

But forget those other guys, because if hill has an awesome year he could be a legit low end rb1. I mean, he would need to perform well enough to keep gio from being the lead back, but that's possible. He might not do it his rookie year, but hue jackson isn't going anywhere. Hue's a proven winner who will never lose his job. And forget the character concerns. I mean, its possible that there's an incident, but when is the last time a bengals player had an off field incident?

What I want to do is invest my first round rookie pick in a guy who, in his best year, might be a low end rb1, and who just has to fight for playing time against a highly touted running back, be a focal point on a team that's loaded with receiving weapons, and has character concerns, because their offensive coordinator, like every offensive coordinator ever to speak during summer said that this year, they want to run the ball more, and they like all their new players and also all of their veterans.

I don't know if that sounds reasonable to everyone else, but im going to bank my dynasty team on it.

 
bostonfred said:
You know who's really good? Jeremey hill, thats who. Hes a stud. I mean, so is Aj green. Oh, and eifert. He's a tier one talent. And so is gresham. And that marvin jones kid. What a beast he's turned out to be. And sanu, too. But man just look at that giovanni bernard.

But forget those other guys, because if hill has an awesome year he could be a legit low end rb1. I mean, he would need to perform well enough to keep gio from being the lead back, but that's possible. He might not do it his rookie year, but hue jackson isn't going anywhere. Hue's a proven winner who will never lose his job. And forget the character concerns. I mean, its possible that there's an incident, but when is the last time a bengals player had an off field incident?

What I want to do is invest my first round rookie pick in a guy who, in his best year, might be a low end rb1, and who just has to fight for playing time against a highly touted running back, be a focal point on a team that's loaded with receiving weapons, and has character concerns, because their offensive coordinator, like every offensive coordinator ever to speak during summer said that this year, they want to run the ball more, and they like all their new players and also all of their veterans.

I don't know if that sounds reasonable to everyone else, but im going to bank my dynasty team on it.
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I picked him up at 2.09. Not really banking on anything. He's my RB4. :shrug:

 
At 2.9 you're happy to get any starting talent. No qualms about that at all. Some people are making a case for him as a mid first and the first back taken after sankey and hyde. I think that's cuckoo.

 
bostonfred said:
At 2.9 you're happy to get any starting talent. No qualms about that at all. Some people are making a case for him as a mid first and the first back taken after sankey and hyde. I think that's cuckoo.
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You think it's cuckoo to make a case for him being the 3rd best FF RB in this class?

 
humpback said:
bostonfred said:
At 2.9 you're happy to get any starting talent. No qualms about that at all. Some people are making a case for him as a mid first and the first back taken after sankey and hyde. I think that's cuckoo.
Click to expand...
You think it's cuckoo to make a case for him being the 3rd best FF RB in this class?
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If it means spending a mid first on him? absolutely. If you're not high on any of these guys, I can see thinking there's a bunch of second round talent at running back and just going after wrs. But that's different than being excited to draft a low ceiling, high risk guy.
 
What is his ADP?

In my drafts he tended to go in the mid-second round, not the first (let alone mid-first).

Needless to say, it is better to get him in the second if you can rather than the mid-first.

I could see some people preferring Tre Mason, Devonta Freeman or even Terrance West, they arguably have a better chance to emerge as feature RBs (depending on what some think of the likes of Stacy and Tate). I don't think Hill is more talented than Bernard. But on the downside, Stacy and Tate have better size than Bernard and if they do well, might be more likely to command something like a 60/40 distribution of the RBBC carries and be the goal line RBs. Due to Hill's size, he might be more likely to have closer to a 50/50 split of carries (if not as a rookie, as soon as 2015). At least at this point, on paper, CIN figures to around the goal line more than STL or CLE.

If people like Freeman a lot, that could be a no brainer, because that seems to be the best opportunity among this group, behind the aging Steven Jackson. I'm just not as high on his talent as Hill (or Mason, and maybe not even West). The cliche is production = talent + opportunity, but there is a point where chasing opportunity can backfire. Just because the feature RB spot will likely soon be vacated, maybe as soon as 2015, if he doesn't seize that opportunity, it will be rendered moot. You could say the same thing about Hill, but because I prefer his talent, I feel more confident in projecting him to seize his opportunity.

In most of my drafts, Hill went after Mason and Freeman (before West, Andre Williams, Sims, etc.), and I thought he represnted good value there.

 
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He went 1.9 in the standard scoring consensus mock here. He went 1.9 in my 14 team standard league. Both as the third back taken after sankey and hyde. In the non ppr consensus mocks, he has not yet been picked but has consistently been the first back after hyde and sankey to get votes (although freeman seems to have overtaken him in the 1.12 ppr poll).

 
Well, load up on guys like Allen Robinson and Brandin Cooks I guess. I would take Freeman before Hill if I had it to do again. I don't know about Mason. I don't think any of them are going to be as good as Lacy and Bell though.

 
bostonfred said:
humpback said:
bostonfred said:
At 2.9 you're happy to get any starting talent. No qualms about that at all. Some people are making a case for him as a mid first and the first back taken after sankey and hyde. I think that's cuckoo.
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You think it's cuckoo to make a case for him being the 3rd best FF RB in this class?
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If it means spending a mid first on him? absolutely. If you're not high on any of these guys, I can see thinking there's a bunch of second round talent at running back and just going after wrs. But that's different than being excited to draft a low ceiling, high risk guy.
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What if he's not? I don't see him going in the mid-1st very often, but he does come off the board as the 3rd RB quite a bit, and I don't have a problem with that at all.

 
Sabertooth said:
Well, load up on guys like Allen Robinson and Brandin Cooks I guess. I would take Freeman before Hill if I had it to do again. I don't know about Mason. I don't think any of them are going to be as good as Lacy and Bell though.
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That's crazy talk. No one will even remember Freeman's name in 3 years. Hill is going to have a prominent role on a very good running attack.

 
Individual leagues can of course be idiosyncratic and hard to read too much into.

For that matter, FBG poll data may not necessarily reflect current ADP.

I play mostly PPR, and MFL had his ADP (as of 7-7, I think) at 2.4 in 14 team leagues, after Freeman and just after Mason.

 
FF Ninja said:
Sabertooth said:
Well, load up on guys like Allen Robinson and Brandin Cooks I guess. I would take Freeman before Hill if I had it to do again. I don't know about Mason. I don't think any of them are going to be as good as Lacy and Bell though.
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That's crazy talk. No one will even remember Freeman's name in 3 years. Hill is going to have a prominent role on a very good running attack.
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I acknowledge that it's possible that nobody will remember Freeman's name in three years and that Hill will have a prominent role on a very good running back. And I still think Freeman's a much better pick than Hill. The reason is that Freeman has a chance to be a quality fantasy starter. If you're right about Freeman's talent, then who knows, maybe he fades away to obscurity. But if you're wrong, and his situation trumps his talent, then he's the lead back in a three down role in a top offense.This isn't a thread about Freeman, though, it's about Hill. And Hill has virtually no path to being a valuable fantasy starter. If everything works out right for Hill for a year, he might have a low end RB1 season, then fade back to RB2/RB3 status playing alongside another talented back in a talented offense. That would be a hugely successful fantasy career for Hill over the next four years. It's not impossible for him to be relevant for fits and spurts, but it's pretty close to impossible for him to have sustained success as a dynasty back. There are just too man things stacked against him, as I outlined above.

 
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