The Cincinnati Bengals took Michigan safety Dax Hill with the 31st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He is one of the most versatile players in this draft class. He was named first team to the All-Big Ten Team as a junior, playing both slot corner and safety. He’s an extremely fluid and athletic prospect that should find his way onto the field as a rookie.
Let’s take a closer look at Hill’s game.
What He Does Well
- Hill is both a smooth and twitchy athlete with track speed. He can stick with wide receivers on vertical routes, while having smooth hips and ability to quickly change direction.
- Hill comes flying off of the roof of the defense to make stops. He plays with his hair on fire to click and close. He’ll even take the opportunity to run through or fast fit in the run game. This ability makes sense with his athleticism, but it’s nice to see that he is a willing tackler as a defensive back.
- He does a good job in man coverage from the slot. Whether it’s against vertical routes, out breakers, or in breakers, Hill has shown that he can blanket these receivers in man-to-man coverage.
- Very good ball skills to break up passes. He’ll consistently knock the ball free from the receiver or swat the ball down before the wide-out has a chance to catch the ball.
- Impressive blitzer that showcases his athleticism with a knack for getting off of the ball and timing the snap count. He can blitz both from depth or on the line of scrimmage and impact the quarterback.
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