2018 NFL Draft: Is Texas cornerback Holton Hill worth the risk?

Despite his exceptional athleticism and intangibles, will cornerback Holton Hill’s maturity and confidence issues hold him back in the 2018 NFL Draft?

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Holton Hill entered college football as a consensus four-star recruit, ranked eighth overall at his position and 11th overall for players coming out of the recruiting hotbed that is Texas. Hill was about as hometown as one could get when he announced his commitment to Texas, as he ended up playing college football just over two hours away from where he competed as a high schooler.

Hill’s college football experience was filled with ups and downs, as Hill went from 49 total tackles in 11 games over the course of his freshman year to 22 total tackles in only five games as a sophomore. His senior year was no different as an impressive season was cut short due to a suspension stemming from a violation of team rules.

Strengths

Physically, Hill is exactly what you want in an outside, or even inside, corner. His huge frame (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and wingspan aid him in making up for steps lost against opposing receivers. Hill’s six passes defensed were evidence of this, as many of his breakups occurred when the receiver already had the ball in his hands.

Outside of his physicality, Hill displays the intangibles you’d like to see in a defensive back. This not only allows him to take advantage of careless passers by disguising himself well in various zone packages, but also results in him being an exceptionally diverse corner. With little separation between many of the corners in this draft, it may be Hill’s diversity that sets him apart.

Weaknesses

Despite returning all three of his career interceptions for touchdowns, Hill still has difficulty making efficient plays on the ball in certain situations. Given his wingspan, you would expect a player like Hill to have more than only eight passes-defensed over the course of a three year career.

Hill has his fair share of minor struggles in areas such as man coverage and route-reading, but the weakness most likely to detract from his success at the NFL level has to do with his maturity. Everyone makes mistakes, so it’s unfair to hang one suspension over his head throughout his entire career. However, Hill has displayed a tendency to replicate past failures due to struggles with confidence.

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Draft Expectations

Hill has all it takes and more to make it as a successful cornerback in the NFL. However, his career will only go as far as he is willing to take it. With scouts severely doubting his ability to facilitate a career at the NFL level, don’t expect a team to reach unless they view him as an absolutely perfect fit. However, don’t be totally surprised if he’s off the board by day three.

Projection: Fourth-round pick

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