INDIANAPOLIS -- Anthony Gordon played his college football 2,200 miles from Ohio Stadium, but he can testify to Ohio State receiver K.J. Hill’s potential.
The Washington State quarterback caught a glimpse during a practice for the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Hill, lined up in the right slot, quickly separated from his defender. Gordon’s pass led Hill down the seam, skimming a defensive back’s helmet. Hill tracked the ball and made the catch in stride.
“He loves to compete," Gordon said. “Every day he was bringing it in one-on-ones.”
Hill’s competitors singled him out as the Senior Bowl practice player of the week among receivers. The same skill and tenacity that led him to become Ohio State’s all-time leading receiver impressed the players and evaluators in Mobile, Alabama, that week. Hill plays, and practices, with the precision and commitment expected from a professional.
Liberty receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden, Hill’s roommate at the Senior Bowl, saw it too. Hill’s businesslike approach on the field did not merely draw the respect of the prospects in attendance. It also made him tougher to defend on the field.
Hill came to the NFL Scouting Combine as a legitimate mid-round pick. Officially measuring in a shade under 6-foot, with modest arm length (29 1/8) and wingspan (72 1/2), his NFL projection mirrors the position where he thrived at Ohio State — the slot.
Hill, however, decided not to settle for that pigeonhole this week in Indianapolis. He is selling his versatility, in search of teams willing to consider him on the outside as well. He started that sales pitch back at the Senior Bowl.
“I feel like, in the one-on-ones, I didn’t lose a rep,” Hill said. “I played outside. I won inside. I had one drop that whole week. So I feel like I proved how versatile I can be.
“You can plug me anywhere. I don’t have to be stuck in the slot and only come in on this play or this package. A lot of teams have been talking about using me everywhere.”
Hill acknowledges he cannot offer teams a 6-4 target like his teammate and pre-draft workout partner, Binjimen Victor. That does not mean Hill is small, and his sturdy build held up well at OSU.
Hill did not produce a lot of film running deep routes or scorching past defenders in the Buckeyes’ big-play offense. Ohio State had plenty of other options for that role, however. According to other Buckeyes, that does not mean Hill warrants the “possession receiver” tag.
“A lot of people don’t think he’s that fast, but he’s real fast and quick,” Victor said. “Overall K.J’s just a playmaker. He’s been consistent all five years. So the team that picks him up is going to be real lucky.”
If Hill’s future is limited to the slot, it may still be a bright one.
The Browns are one of several teams he met with either at the Senior Bowl or at the combine or both. He also met with the New England Patriots and learned many of the concepts they discussed — working in motion, option routes, diagnosing man and zone coverages — fit his OSU comfort zone.
Hill said he adopted pieces of Patriots slot receiver Julian Edelman’s game over the years — how he uses his eyes and feet to get open, how he plays with a physical approach.
Hill recognizes his abilities and his limitations. He also has five years of experience using that knowledge to catch more passes than anyone in Ohio State history. He conisiders playing the slot to be about creating leverage, and he takes pride in excelling at technique.
“K.J. ran some great routes,” Gordon said of Hill’s effort during that Senior Bowl week. "You can tell in one-on-ones and every single route he ran, he ran it with a purpose. He knew how to get open.
“There’s no secret to why he was so successful at Ohio State, and I know that his game is going to translate to the next level.”
Hill thinks NFL teams already know that. He simply wants to make sure they consider the full potential.
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