Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
NLR star on cusp of NFL career
There will be several Ohio State players hearing their name called in the 2020 NFL Draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday.
K.J. Hill almost certainly will be one.
While Hill isn’t expected to be selected in the first round Thursday like his college teammates Chase Young and Jeff Okudah, the former North Little Rock standout is in position to be drafted in the league’s first virtual draft because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 6-foot, 196-pound Hill put himself alongside the great wide receivers the school has had over the years, including Cris Carter, David Boston and Michael Jenkins.
Hill, 22, became Ohio State’s all-time receptions leader with 201 catches, passing Boston’s 191 catches (1996-98). He finished his Buckeyes career with 2,332 receiving yards (11.6 yards per catch) and 20 touchdowns.
After redshirting in 2015, Hill played 11 games as a freshman in 2016, catching 18 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown.
In his sophomore season in 2017, Hill had a team-high 56 receptions and finished with 549 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Hill recorded 70 receptions for 885 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2018, earning an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
Last season, Hill caught 57 passes for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns as Ohio State reached the College Football Playoff semifinals against Clemson. For the second consecutive season, Hill earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
Brad Bolding, who coached Hill at North Little Rock in 2013 and 2014, watched his former wide receiver’s career at Ohio State on TV and was proud of what he accomplished with the Buckeyes.
“What he did there was amazing,” Bolding said. “He has God-given ability, but he’s always worked hard.”
When he was at North Little Rock, Hill was one of the state’s top recruits.
Hill chose Ohio State over Arkansas and Alabama, among others. He was committed to the Razorbacks after announcing it in a ceremony at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 29, 2014. But on Jan. 18, 2015, Hill decommitted from Arkansas.
Before the nation saw Hill in the scarlet and gray, he was making plays for the Charging Wildcats.
Hill caught 58 passes for 1,023 yards and 11 touchdowns, and rushed for 386 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2014 as the Charging Wildcats won the Class 7A/6AEast Conference title in 2014. As a junior, Hill had 63 catches for 1,143 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first season at North Little Rock after transferring from Bryant.
Bolding said Hill’s choice to attend Ohio State worked out well for him.
“While I would have loved for him to be a Razorback, I try to let it be up to the players,” Bolding said. “I think he made the right decision.”
Hill has garnered praise in a draft that features several top wide receivers, including Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and LSU’s Justin Jefferson.
The website Pro Football Focus (pff.com) called Hill the best route runner in the 2020 draft class.
“Hill creates separation on the underneath route tree like no other,” wrote Michael Renner at Pro Football Focus. “That still plays in the NFL. He doesn’t have good speed, doesn’t have a big catch radius and is likely stuck in the slot, but I have no doubt he’ll be a productive NFL receiver.”
Jim Nagy, the Senior Bowl executive director and an ESPN NFL Draft analyst, told elevenwarriors.com, a website focused on Ohio State football, that Hill is a safe bet at wide receiver.
“To me, you draft K.J. Hill, you know he’s gonna be your starting slot receiver, you’re gonna feel good about him, you got that position locked up for a bunch of years,” Nagy said. “I think he’s gonna play right away for somebody.”
Hill told reporters at the NFL Draft combine in February that he believes he can be a good receiver in the NFL.
“I feel like on the field, the production is there,” Hill said. “That’s with everybody in this draft. But I feel like with the coaches knowing me, my character on and off
the field and with me being a great young man, that will separate me.”
Bolding said he’s spoken to several NFL coaches about Hill, and they all raved about his character.
“At the combine, in high school, in college, he’s never had one off-the-field issue,” Bolding said. “They immediately wanted to talk X’s and O’s.”
Bolding said Hill’s future is bright.
“I think he has a really long shelf life,” Bolding said. “He’s got great hands. He runs great routes. He’s a possession receiver.
“Somebody is going to get a diamond in the rough.”
Hill did not respond to multiple requests from the
Democrat-Gazette for an interview.