Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 190 pounds
School: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds (best among running backs)
Bench press: 21 reps
Vertical jump: 40 inches (best among running backs)
Broad jump: 10 feet, 10 inches (tied for best among running backs)
Justice Hill 2019 NFL Draft Profile
After spending three years with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, running back Justice Hill is skipping his senior year to declare for the NFL Draft. Hill enters the draft on the heels of a strong season, finishing his junior season with 930 yards and nine touchdowns on 158 rushing attempts. Additionally, Hill added 13 receptions for 68 yards during the 2018 season.
Hill’s best season came during the 2017 campaign. Playing in 13 games, Hill recorded 1,467 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 268 carries. On top of that, Hill added an additional 31 receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown during his sophomore season. While he averaged more yards-per-carry as a junior, he recorded more carries, rushing yards, receptions, receiving yards, and rushing touchdowns as a sophomore.
Hill initially arrived in Oklahoma as a three-star recruit out of Booker T. Washington High School. During his time in high school, Hill ran for a combined 3,364 yards and 54 touchdowns. His impressive work earned him a spot with Oklahoma State’s offense as a freshman, compiling 1,142 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 206 carries. This impressive season earned him Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. In total, Hill finished his collegiate career with 3,539 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns on 632 carries.
Strengths
- Great feet, cutback ability, and change-of-direction skills;
- Smart runner capable of setting up tacklers to take inopportune angles;
- Elite burst and speed in the second level;
- Has the tools to be a great receiver out of the backfield, although he didn’t do it much in college;
- One of the best in the draft at forcing missed tackles;
- A full-effort player who isn’t afraid to take a hit and pick up extra yards;
- Patient runner who lets his blocks develop.
Weaknesses
- Undersized by NFL standards, could use some more weight;
- Gives it his all in pass protection, but is still below average;
- Not a good short-yardage runner;
- Struggles running against stacked boxes;
- Minor uncertainty over a smaller-than-expected workload.
NFL Comparison: Danny Woodhead, Giovani Bernard
Teams With Need at Position: Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills
Projection: Rounds two to three
Bottom Line
Running backs are somewhat interchangeable in today’s NFL, which will cause Hill’s overall draft value to drop a little bit. Additionally, he won’t be the first running back off the board, His undersized frame will scare off a few teams altogether and make a few other wary of taking him with a high pick. His smaller frame might not hold up to the NFL, and he will never be a great pass blocker or a good short-yardage back.
That said, Hill can definitely bring value to an NFL team. Hill is one of the most elusive running backs in the draft, and his top-end speed allows him to blow past defenders at the second level. He has fantastic vision behind the line, waits for blocks to develop, and has the lateral quickness and footwork to make defenders regularly miss their tackles. While he never caught that many passes in college, he has all the raw tools required to be a dangerous weapon in the passing game.
Hill will never be a 300-touch player, but he can be a valuable member of any team’s backfield. Hill projects as a good change-of-pace back with the ability to beat defenses both on the ground and in the air. His size is a major concern, but if he can handle NFL hits, he should have a good career in the NFL.
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