You dial up the video on running back Kylin Hill.  You watch him take a handoff, burst through a hole over left guard, and cut to the near sideline where a cornerback with a perfect angle awaits him to make the tackle.  Instead, Hill springs into a hurdler position and leaps completely over the defender and continues down field for a 22 yard gain. 

Then, first and goal from the five yard line, Hill takes the ball straight up the gut and meets a linebacker twice his size at the two.  Hill lowers his shoulder and drives the defender backward into the end zone with him.   A few plays later, Hill takes a handoff on a play that fools nobody.  Five defensive players are in the backfield.  Each one makes contact with the ball carrier.  Hill keeps his legs churning and his body twisting until he has broken all five tackles and surges forward for a ten yard gain.  Then you see him circle out of the backfield over the middle where the quarterback throws him a ball that is too high.  Hill rockets into the air, snags the pass with two hands away from his body, and continues down the field for a substantial gain. 

You watch these highlights for several minutes, then you go to the stats.  1,350 yards rushing and ten touchdowns as a junior in the Southeastern Conference.  The SEC mind you!  Playing against the best defenses in college football.  As a senior he set a school record by catching 15 passes in a single game against defending national champion LSU.  Yes, you watch the video and look at the stats, and there’s only one huge question on your mind: 

How the heck was this guy still available with the 256th pick in the 7th round of the NFL draft? 

Apparently, Brian Gutekunst was wondering the same thing.  “We were surprised to see him on the board that late and kind of holding our breath in the seventh round.”  

After being first team All SEC his junior year, many draft gurus were projecting him to be about a third round prospect, or at the least, fourth or fifth round.  But by the end of his senior year, his stock had dropped precipitously.  What happened? 

Well, to begin with, a coaching change happened.  Despite Hill’s outstanding junior season, Mississippi State fired head coach Joe Moorhead after the Bulldogs went 6-7.  In came the master of the “Air Raid” offense, Mike Leach.  That was pretty much the end of running the football.  Through the first three games of 2020, Hill carried the ball just 15 times.  Leach wanted to throw the pigskin all over the stadium, and that did not sit well with his star running back.  The frustration seemed to come to a boil after a 20-2 loss to Kentucky.  Hill was suspended for one game after a reported “outburst” in the locker room.  No further details of the incident were made public.  It was widely speculated that Hill and the coaching staff were at odds, and that rift seemed to be confirmed when Hill then decided to opt out of the remainder of his senior season. 

Via Twitter, Hill said his decision was not based on a dispute with the coaches but rather concern over Covid 19.  He posted "2020 has been an unprecedented year, filled with uncertainty due to a pandemic that has forced all of us to adapt as best as possible.  With that, and after much prayer and discussion with my family, I have decided to opt out for the remainder of the season and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. This has been an incredibly difficult decision, but one that I feel is best for me at this time."  

Was his opt-out the reason for his fall in the draft?  There were other concerns.  He missed a few games with ankle injuries and a concussion.  Pro Football Network analyzed Hill this way:  “Athletically, Kylin Hill is a mixed bag. His explosiveness and quickness are here and there. Just check out the beauty that is Hill’s dead-leg cut to see those two traits. 

However, there is no second gear with Hill. He lacks that breakaway speed to take it to the house at any given point. That makes him a weapon that can create some yardage, but not a home run threat in any way. It extends to the receiving game, too.” 

So, let’s see.  Kylin Hill is a power runner with limited speed who is physical enough to get you tough, short yardage first downs or goal line touchdowns, and catches the ball well out of the backfield.  Does that remind you of any recent Packers?  If Jamaal Williams pops into your mind, bingo!  Hill’s skill set seems a replica of what number 30 had been doing for the green and gold until he left to sign with Detroit this offseason. 

With the number three running back slot wide open heading into training camp, Hill’s opportunity is obvious.  I think he was a tremendous steal in the seventh round.  I also believe he will see significant playing time.  Running backs take a terrific beating in this league.  There will be injuries and games missed by the backs ahead of him, especially when you consider the season has been expanded to 17 games.  Starter Aaron Jones has played every game in a season only once, missing ten games total through his first four years.  Gutekunst thinks Kylin has a definite niche he can fill.  “We were excited to get him.  He’s a very talented individual.....he’s an explosive athlete as a runner, catches the ball pretty well, and he may be able to add some special teams value as well.” 

Also encouraging is the fact that Green Bay assistant Luke Getsy was the offensive coordinator at State during Hill’s superlative junior year.  If Getsy can get that kind of season out of him in college, what might he be able to accomplish in the versatile LaFleur offense?   At one point during the Green Bay rookie camp, Hill made an impressive diving catch.  Afterward he told the media “I’m very confident in my hands.  I believe I can make any catch possible.” 

The Columbus, Mississippi native should also feel right at home with the Packers.  He is close friends with fellow Mississippi State alums Elgton Jenkins and Preston Smith, both of whom have sort of taken Hill under their wing. 

After studying all the pros and cons, it’s still a head scratcher for me as to why Kylin Hill fell so far in the draft, but Packer fans should be happy he did.  His drop may be just the lift the Packers need.