Class: 2008 Big Board
Pros: After waiting patiently for two seasons behind All-American Jonathan Scott (Lions), Hills Jr. took full advantage of showcasing his abilities. A former tight end and basketball standout, Hills has tremendous athleticism to compliment his ability to accelerate off the ball snap. His ability to adjust to any speed rushers while playing with enough leverage to never let them over power him makes him a tough battle one-on-one. Hills quickness allows him to usually defeat his opponent to the point of attack.
Cons: Still a bit raw, if Hills can improve upon his upper body strength, he has the potential to elevate his game to the next level. He doesn't play with much of a mean streak, which he could use. Not very experienced and can get fooled with double-moves but that should change with time. Well despite his obvious talent and natural ability he does not have the greatest footwork and can get much better in this department. And one of his glaring weaknesses is that he will never be a dominate run blocker, too finesse.
Overall: Did a tremendous job coming in and fulling up for 4 year starter Jon Scott when he left and his resume shows by helping allow quarterback Colt McCoy to make a name for himself, including winning Freshman of the Year and tying a NCAA single-season freshman record with 29 touchdown passes two seasons ago. His recent injury will hurt his stock, but should Hills bounce back, he may pay handsome dividends.
Medical Examiner: Had his senior campaign ended shortly due to a fractured left fibula. Hills had started twenty-four consecutive games prior to the injury and has played in forty-two games overall. He suffered a career-threatening knee injury during senior year of high school and later had a knee as a sophomore causing him to miss two games.
Quote of Note: Tony isn’t a guy who likes to talk about his problems. He didn’t want to talk about the two-game losing streak earlier this year. That’s just the way he is. He’s a doer, not a talker.
--Recent Longhorns Running Back Recruit Jeremy Hills On His Brother Tony Hills Jr.
Murphy’s View: Was highly recruited as a tight end before being converted to left tackle the past three seasons. Hills has played well as a senior, but struggled in last week's loss to Oklahoma. Has good footwork and athleticism to get out and block downfield, but needs to work on his strength.
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