The thing about Brandon Hill is that he’s going to be a controversial player across the entire league. He’s a risky player, a very aggressive safety who isn’t afraid to play downhill and make aggressive plays on the football. When you get to certain teams who thrive with chaos, Hill is a very good fit. For teams who are more conservative, Hill won’t see the field. He’s capable in man coverage, instinctual, and can tackle in space. He’s a solid prospect. 

We know who Brandon Hill is as a player at this point in his career. He’s not going to get bigger, I think he’s peaked as an athlete, and he’s an aggressive player who will play with that mindset. I’d like to see him learn how to defend in space better, but it doesn’t make him that much better of a player overall. 

1️⃣6️⃣ Days Until Pitt Football

Brandon Hill (@brandonhill_6) picks off Henson Hooker to halt a promising drive for the Vols. The Panthers ran the clock out on the ensuing drive and got out of Knoxville with the W. pic.twitter.com/FGD51o8vDu

— The Loyal Sons (@TheLoyalSons) August 16, 2022

Stayed healthy outside of normal in-game bruises. 

Brandon Hill’s scouting report

Athletic Ability (35)

Speed/Athleticism: 15 

• Speed (6.5/7) – Good speed. Very quick. Excellent closing speed. Tested extremely well. 
• Lateral Quickness (3/4) – Very solid lateral quickness. Moves well. 
• Body Control (3/4) – Decent body control, not great. 

Strength: 10

• Upper Body Strength (3.5/5) – Has decent, not great, upper body strength. Doesn’t control the tackle as well as I’d like to see him do. 
• Lower Body Strength (4/5) – Good explosion and acceleration. Ridiculous acceleration. 

Hip Flexibility: 5

• Change of Direction (3/5) – Change of direction is alright, not great. Doesn’t look as fluid in his hips as he can be. 

Defending Ability (40)

Tackling/Pursuit: 15

• Tackling Ability (7/8) – Strong tackler, shows the ability to wrap up through a stiff arm. Comes downhill well. Very strong power at the point of contact. Nasty hit power. 
• Pursuit Angles (5/7) – Great pursuit angles. Consistently in position to make plays. Can get caught occasionally under pursuing plays. 

Blitz Ability: 5

• Timing (3.5/5) – Decent blitzer, won’t always time it up properly. Comes downhill well and attacks with power. 

Coverage Ability: 20

• Zone Coverage (8/10) – Can be a second slow to react underneath. Much better at playing in deep coverage. Plays well down field where he can use his instincts better. 
• Man Coverage (3.5/5) – Capable man coverage player. Positioning isn’t always great in man coverage and can give up a lot of space. Can get stuck standing still in zone instead of chopping his feet. 
• Space Defending (3.5/5) – Capable defender in space. Would like to see him close better than he has really shown in space. 

Intel/Instincts (20)

Instincts: 15

• Pure Instincts (8/10) – Very instinctual. Moves well to the play. Can get caught trying to make an aggressive play and vacating spaces and zones. 
• Consistency (3.5/5) – Aggression is a big part of Hill’s game and can get moved out of place. He’s a high-risk but high-reward type player at times. That will bring his consistency down but he see’s things well.

Football IQ: 10

• Play Recognition (7.5/10) – Play recognition is typically pretty good. Reads concepts and reacts well. 

Overall: (81.5) – 1st/2nd Round