Anthony
Hill Jr..
Anthony
Hill Jr..
Texas· 6'3"· 235 lb
"Downhill SEC three-down linebacker with sideline range and edge-blitz punch; the whole grade rides on whether the coverage patience and rush-plan discipline catch up to the tape's tempo."Pre-draft read
This linebacker operates as a fast-flow MIKE with WILL flexibility, triggering downhill through the A-gap at the snap. He finishes with strike-and-wrap tackles in space, excelling when plays are declared. He sniffs out boots and screens, closes on split-zone cutbacks, and displays short-area burst chasing perimeter runs sideline-to-sideline.
He functions as a designed pressure piece, aligning over the A-gap and coming off the edge on green-dog looks. His coverage is functional, involving match-zone drops, sinking in curl-to-flat, and matching backs out of the backfield with a decent hip flip. Occasional hesitation occurs when linemen climb cleanly, forcing him to stack-and-shed on the second level.
Versatile 4-3 defense with elements of Fangio two-high and Cover-3 match principles.
Immediate starter at MIKE linebacker, with the versatility to play WILL, and a ceiling as a multi-season Pro Bowl defender.
A passive two-gap 3-4 defense that asks linebackers to consistently stack-and-shed large interior linemen.
Hill's best fit is a scheme that leverages his diagnostic quickness, downhill trigger, and designed blitzing while minimizing his need for consistent stack-and-shed confrontation.
Anthony Hill Jr. | 2025 Highlights
Game film cut-up of Anthony Hill Jr.'s Texas tape.
Best LB in College Football 🤘
Game film cut-up of Anthony Hill Jr.'s Texas tape.
This prospect projects as a foundational second-level defender capable of anchoring a defense with his downhill trigger and green-dot intelligence. A team drafting him is acquiring a high-volume tackler who offers both run-stuffing capabilities and a natural aptitude for designed blitz packages, making him an immediate three-down contributor with a clear path to impact.
He entered the collegiate ranks as a five-star recruit and quickly became a central figure in the defense, adapting to an SEC transition. As a sophomore, he recorded 113 tackles and consistently produced double-digit tackles for loss throughout his career while facing high-level competition. His role involved significant usage as a blitzer and call-maker, a testament to his versatility and football IQ.
Evaluators were split on his draft position, debating his potential as a top-40 pick versus a Day 2 selection, largely due to concerns about his consistency in coverage against athletic tight ends and the longevity of his pass-rush moves. Ultimately, the Tennessee Titans selected him with the 60th overall pick to bolster their defensive front.
- 01
Downhill trigger
Reads pull-key and second-level blocker climbs cleanly, gets to the line of scrimmage a full count before the average FBS backer and finishes with strike-and-wrap contact.
- 02
SEC-tested tackle production
Backed the recruiting profile with 113 stops as a sophomore and double-digit TFL every fall, including live-body reps against Georgia, Alabama and Michigan.
- 03
Designed blitzer
Texas mugged him over the A-gap and sent him off the edge on green-dog looks; converted pressures with speed-to-power and a real long-arm chop against tackles.
- 04
Sideline-to-sideline range
Plays with plus short-area burst chasing perimeter runs, closes on screens and boots with the change-of-direction to affect two gaps on the same snap.
- 05
Green-dot pedigree
Called the defense as an underclassman, praised by staff for signals, checks and coordinator-level tape study, a rare intangible profile at his age.
- 01
Coverage patience
Occasionally opens hips early against tight ends stemming vertical, loses inside leverage and gives up the seam window in match-zone before the ball is out.
- 02
Stack-and-shed vs climbers
When guards get clean to the second level, he sometimes tries to run around blocks instead of taking them on square, which shows up on gap-scheme runs.
- 03
Rush plan under duress
Pressure production is real but leans on scheme and effort; needs a defined counter when the initial speed-to-power stalls against NFL-caliber tackles.
- 04
Grabby in space
Coverage reps flash occasional hand-fighting downfield that drew flags in SEC play and will draw quicker whistles from NFL officiating crews on Sundays.
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Texas | 14 | 66 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | Texas | 16 | 113 | 7.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | Texas | 10 | 70 | 3.5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | — | 40 | 249 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Three-down MIKE with elite instincts, plus blitz production and clean-enough coverage to stay on the field in sub packages.
Warner's diagnose-and-trigger tempo with green-dot control from day one is the offensive-coordinator's nightmare Hill flashed in stretches at Texas.
Downhill playmaker whose value spikes when the scheme lets him blitz and chase, exposed by tight ends and slid into a base-down role.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
PRE-DRAFT CONTEXT Hill arrived at Texas as the crown jewel of the 2023 class — a top-three national recruit whose Denton Ryan tape looked closer to a young off-ball Micah Parsons than a stand-and-hit MIKE. He didn't wait to play, logging 71 tackles as a true freshman and taking green-dot signals midway through his sophomore year. When the program moved into the SEC, Hill became the constant on the second level: 113 stops, 15.5 TFL and consistent pass-rush juice against Georgia, Alabama and Michigan. Evaluators split him between a top-40 LB1 in the class and a Day 2 slot as the league keeps flattening off-ball value.
NFL FIT — TENNESSEE The Titans took him at 60 to slot in next to their existing front and give their defensive scheme a designed pressure piece to pair with the interior rush. Early-camp reports have Hill working as a WILL with green-dot capability from base personnel and rotating to the mug on third down, a role that mirrors his Texas usage. The bet is on volume and versatility: run-down thumper, coverage-eligible against backs, and a scheme-flexible blitzer that an attacking four-man front can send off either edge. Sub-package snaps against tight ends and matchups vs spread offenses will be the tell for whether he stays a three-down piece or gets rotated with a safety in dime looks.
RETROSPECTIVE Too early to grade the pick, but the shape of the evaluation is clear: Hill's floor as a downhill thumper and pressure piece is already there, and Tennessee bought him on Day 2 rather than reaching in Round 1 the way past teams seeking linebackers might have. If he unlocks the coverage rep against SEC-caliber tight ends in the pros — sinks in match-zone, matches backs cleanly, keeps hands off downfield — he plays himself into the Roquan Smith conversation. If he doesn't, the pick still returns a base-down starter and a special-teams captain, and the league's willingness to sit linebackers in the 50–65 range gets validated one more time.